Children of the Sun
by Callianassa
Summary: *Updated Feb15 - Nina mourns and Jax finds out what's happened...* Tig and Chibs' daughters return to Charming after a decade away, and find themselves trapped between SAMCRO and the IRA. Happy/OC, Tig/Chibs/OC.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note**

**Welcome, welcome, welcome! Thank you so much for popping into ****_Children of the Sun_****, my newest fanfic! **

**A few of you will be following me over from my previous fics (****_Family Ties / It Was Always You / Finally Found You) _****but you don't have to read ANY of those to join us for this one - unless you want to, which would be rather nice of you, but don't feel obliged. It's quite a long trek! But to summarise:**

**Nina Padilla is Nero's daughter. After a complex history in Charming, she now has two daughters, Emily (by Tig) and Natasha (by Chibs). The end of ****_FFY _****saw Nina sent to Belfast with Tig, who was given the task of IRA liaison, and ten years have now passed since that fateful day. **

**This story is more focused on the two daughters, Emily and Natasha, as they come across the club and the life. Nina/Tig/Chibs fans - never fear, there is all sorts of mess pending! - but there will be some new love in Charming for some of our SAMCRO boys, including a grown-up, nineteen-year-old Thomas!**

**To those of you who are following me over - thank you so much for your unending love and support, you have no idea how much it means to me. I hope you'll favourite and follow this one too! And for you new readers, please enjoy! You should be able to slip straight into it but if you have any questions, do let me know and I'll help you out! :)**

**As ever, thank you for reading, reviewing, favouriting and following - and, with that - ENJOY! :)**

**Sara x**

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><p>Emily Padilla was a proud sort of girl. Maybe it was her upbringing, a couple of years living without her mother before being uprooted and deposited in an entirely different country had surely made her a complicated kind of woman. She groaned as she sat at her dresser, turning her phone over and over in her hands as she debated whether it was worth the ass-kicking she'd get if she snuck out again. The thing buzzed again in her palm and she flicked it open.<p>

_Come out, I want you tonight._

She smiled to herself as she crossed her legs, squeezing them tightly. It was getting harder to say no to the guys from SAMBEL, they were always begging her to come to their club, have a few drinks. Tig had told her too many times that all they wanted to do was fuck her and it wasn't going to happen, but no matter how many times he cornered and threatened their president, Seamus Ryan, there were a couple of them always begging for her attention.

Emily trussed her hair beneath her hand as she glanced in the mirror. The dark curls sat around her slender face in a wild mane, and those piercing blue eyes gazed back at her contemptuously. She was sick of being kept in this high tower. She rolled her eyes as she glanced out of the window to see a couple of Irish guards camped out, smoking and chatting as they sat on the brick wall at the end of the driveway. How was this a life? Nineteen and locked in her own home. It was for her own good, that was what she had been told her whole existence.

She pulled open the dresser drawer and reached to the back to find her secret packet of cigarettes. She frowned as she shook out just one - Christ, Natasha had got through the whole damn pack. That was it, she'd have to move her hiding place for them if that little twit was going to burn through them. Tash barely knew how to smoke a cigarette, she just liked to hold it between her fingers at college and look cool. The boys loved her for it, she was a little rebel at the Catholic monstrosity Nina had her attending.

Another buzz. Emily looked at the screen again. _You're a prick teasing bitch. Like your Ma. _She swallowed at that, her nose wrinkling in an instant. Frustrated, she snapped the thing shut and hurled it at the door, watched as it dented the white paint again and clattered to the floor like it usually did. Emily grunted, she knew all too well that she'd only have to count to five and Natasha would be there.

One. Two. Three. Four-

There it was, that little knock. She didn't have to say anything, Natasha opened the door and peeked her head in the gap, looking curiously for her sister. "You okay?" she ventured shyly, giving Emily a sympathetic smile. Emily shrugged and took a drag of her cigarette, flicking the ash into the dregs of a cold cup of tea.

"Friday night, isn't it?" She let out a sigh, one of annoyance and frustration. She hated this, she hated being stuck here in Belfast. Every weekend passed like this but this one seemed to be bothering her more than usual. "They downstairs?"

Natasha's nostrils flared a little and she blushed. "Lounge. Shagging." Emily glared up to the ceiling dramatically, those two were like animals. "It's gross."

Emily snorted. "Yeah. It is. And they're not even _your_ parents." It was always when she was feeling so low that she took a little dig at Natasha. It was easy, really, to take advantage of her gentle nature. Natasha shifted on her feet awkwardly, looking at the floor.

"Tig's like my Da," she said stalwartly, trying not to let the words sway her, even though it was clear to see that the cruel jibe hurt her. Emily could see the little pout on her sister's face and she sighed, feeling bad. Tapping the space on the bed beside her, she gestured for Natasha to come in and offered her the cigarette for a drag. Natasha barely put it to her lips but just held the thing between her fingers, letting it burn out for a moment. Emily snorted and took it back.

"Don't waste it." She took another thick drag and blew the smoke up into the air. "Sorry. Didn't mean to be shitty. I know you miss your Da, I just-"

"I don't really remember him." Natasha looked down at her bare feet, her toes were perfectly painted and she wiggled them as she dragged them through the carpet. Her gentle brown hair fell in waves down over her shoulders as she tugged her cardigan around her. "It's been a long time. Ma, she shows me pictures sometimes. When Tig's not here, she's always going through them. Photos. But I don't remember him. His voice, his smell." She shook her head. "I don't get it."

Emily laughed as she kicked up her feet onto the dresser. "They all smell like gasoline, leather and beer," she shrugged with a soft smile as she remembered the days in Charming. Growing up around the club had made it easy for the life to be engrained in her mind, Natasha had never been around long enough to know it. "Like the SAMBEL guys, but… oilier."

Natasha chewed on her finger as she thought about it. "I'd like to meet him. Now I'm older, now I understand." She gave Emily a lopsided smile. "He's handsome, my Da. Ma used to love him."

Emily shrugged. "She's been married to Daddy too long to care any more," she muttered callously. "Don't go getting all dreamy, Tash, we go back to Charming, it'll be different now. It's been too long, they're grown ups now." They both winced as they heard a squeal from downstairs followed by the sound of Tig laughing uproariously. "Everything's changed."

The phone on the floor buzzed and Natasha quickly shot up, reaching across to grab it. She lifted it up and scowled as she read it. _One last chance, come and play._ She handed the phone back to Emily and watched as the older girl coloured as she read it, furious at what she was missing out on. Outraged, Emily stomped out of the room and down the stairs towards the living room, giving it a heavy thud with her boot before she shoved the door open and watched as Nina pulled the blanket from the back of the couch over her body quickly.

"Jesus, Em, you could knock," she frowned, fashioning it into a sort of makeshift dress as she stood up and went to get herself a drink.

"You could, you know, fuck in your own room," Emily spat, irritated. Tig had managed to pull his pants back on and was chuckling as he sat back with a joint, clearly relaxed in the sanctity of his own home. He looked at his daughter with distaste at her language and glanced across at Nina to see if she would take it in hand or he'd have to. When she didn't, he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

"That's enough," he said. "You want to watch TV or something? It's all yours, we're going to have a beer, go to bed. You kids can have this to yourselves."

Emily crossed her arms, putting her foot down firmly. "No." Nina glanced over at her.

"No?"

Natasha was leaning shyly against the frame of the door now, watching the conversation unfold as Emily grew more and more angry as she stood there.

"No," Emily said furiously. "This is bullshit. Being stuck in here, nothing to do but listen to you two fucking each other like a couple of goddamn teenagers while we just have to what? Rot?" Nina coloured at her language, but Tig was too spaced out to object to it. He was amused by his daughter's fierce little confrontation. "We should be allowed to go out, with our friends, have fun. It's Friday night, we should be allowed to go party."

Tig smiled at that. "Party?" He glanced at Nina with a wry smile. "And what? You want to drink? Smoke? Hook up with boys? Lose your virginity to some shifty idiot around the back of their clubhouse, huh?" He smirked. "Do you even know who you are? What you're worth in this town?"

Emily crossed her arms. "I know if we were still in Charming, we'd be okay."

The back of Tig's neck prickled as she said that word and he sat bolt upright. "Charming? Where have you been getting thoughts about Charming from, hey?" He looked accusingly across at Nina. "You been putting this shit in her head?"

"I haven't said a word!" Nina objected instanatly, flipping him off in annoyance. Even hearing the word made her heart skip a beat. "Emmy, calm down-"

"I'm sick of this," Emily spat. "Being boxed up here, in this house. We're escorted to school, to work, to the goddamn shops for a packet of fags and a bottle of Jack. I'm sick of being locked up like this, I just, I want a normal life. I want to go home." She had never really felt it before, let alone said it, but as soon as the words came out of her mouth, she could see Nina's face softening to the idea. Emily's voice broke just a little as she said it again. "I want to go home."

Tig finally stood up and crossed to her, holding his hand against the back of her head as he leaned her forward and kissed her forehead. "This is home, baby. We get paid to stay. We got a nice life here, haven't we?" he asked, gesturing around. "Nice house, clothes, money, drivers, whatever you want."

Emily could feel her eyes watering as she looked up at him. "I want my freedom, Daddy," she pleaded. "I want to be able to go out, I want to be free to have a life. You can't just make me wait here in this house until you marry me off to someone Uncle Galen likes for me." She could see that Nina's resolve was breaking with every word and she pressed the heel of her palm to her chest. "I'm going to go back to Charming, whether you let me or not." When neither responded, she suddenly reached for Natasha's hand and dragged her into the fray. "And Tash is coming too. She wants to go back. We both do."

"You're not going anywhere, it's not safe," Tig said, his voice a low growl as he said it but Emily stood up to him, fierce as Nina had ever been.

"I'm an adult and I can. And I'll be her guardian, and she can do whatever the hell she wants," she said, indicating Natasha as she held her wrist tightly, not letting her wriggle away. "We're going back, now or on your next trip, whatever it takes but we're going."

Tig blew the air out of his cheeks as he looked at the resolute look in her eyes. Emily wasn't backing down, he could see that, she was as stubborn as her two parents combined - hell, that was exactly what she was. He looked exasperatedly at Nina, this was never a conversation that had arisen but they both knew all too well that it would come, one day. Nina was standing against the bookcase, sipping from a glass of whisky quietly as she chewed over the whole thing. She looked at her two girls, both fully grown now, and she sighed, running her hand through her hair, exposing the glints of silver that kissed her temples now as she did.

After a moment, she put her glass down on the table and crossed to Emily. Putting her arms around her, she pressed a kiss onto her cheek gently and nodded before turning to Tig with the same look in her eyes.

"They should go and see Charming," she murmured softly. "They should go and meet their family." Tig was about to interrupt but Nina shook her head. "You go back all the time, Tig, you're there every three months. None of us have seem them in over a decade. It's time we went back, just for a few days." She padded gently towards him, resting her hand on the buckle of his belt as her thumb ran along the trail of hair from his belly button down towards his groin. She watched as Tig shivered beneath her touch. "What harm could it do, to let them just have a few days of freedom in Nor Cal?"

Tig pursed his lips. "Galen won't like it." Nina smiled at that as she stroked his chin, tickling it a little like a cat and watching as Tig proudly raised his head up.

"I think you've earned your stripes with Galen now," she suggested, curling his hair on her fingertip. "Please, Tig. Let's take them back, just for a while."

Maybe it was the way she was touching him, maybe it was the buzz but Tig groaned out loud and nodded. He looked at Emily accusingly, pointing at her. "Fine. But you keep your legs crossed, you don't let any of those fuckers near you. You think SAMBEL are bad, SAMCRO are worse and I ain't having any of those shitheads touch you, you understand?" Emily wasn't listening, she was already spinning Natasha around and around in circles, excited for the opportunity to get out of Belfast, get out of this shitty little town and see something more. Nina nodded and pushed a kiss onto Tig's lips, grateful, and he gave her ass a slap before motioning upstairs. "And you, Mrs Trager, you can put that pretty mouth to use upstairs when I get back, okay?"

Nina winked as she tossed his shirt at him and motioned for the girls to thank him. Both Natasha and Emily gambolled straight into him, wrapping their arms around him in a hug before Tig waved them off with a laugh.

"Hey, he's got to say yes first," he murmured. "Go pack your shit, I'll sort it out. We can head out tomorrow night, I'll let the boys know we're coming." He watched after Nina with a dark expression as she retreated upstairs as he mused, "I bet they'll just _kill_ to see you."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N - Oh my gosh, I totally didn't realise how much fun this was going to be until I started writing this chapter. Welcome to Stickyville, guys, you're going to love it. Enjoy! :)**

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><p>Chibs stretched out as he got off his bike. He was getting too old for this, the long rides and threatening tones. He could hear his bones creaking as he twisted and raised his arms above him, trying to get the blood to circulate again after the long ride. The others had already bounced off with their usual enthusiasm, he swore Happy never aged a goddamn day and now that Jax was patched in again, he was just full of energy. Chibs gazed across at the garage to see Juice and Thomas play-fighting with each other, swinging near-misses at one another while Abel barked steely orders to his younger brother from the end of a pick-up truck. He laughed as he watched them bouncing around, those Teller boys had been a breath of fresh air to the club now that they were both in cuts. Sure, Thomas still had work to do but Abel had been a brilliant patch so far. If Thomas was even a little like him, the club would be lucky to have him as a member.<p>

"Ease up there," Chibs called as Thomas almost took Juice out with a fierce fist. Juice backed off instantly, raising his hands on Chibs' instruction, and Chibs chuckled. "Save that testosterone for another time, hey? We got business tonight, last thing I need is a man down because one of you two idiots knocked the other out."

Thomas grinned as he stared to unwrap the bandages from his knuckles. The long white wraps were dirty with oil and muck from the garage, and he tucked them into his back pocket quickly. "Sorry, Prez," he said, as apologetic as he should be for a prospect. "Just warming up."

Chibs laughed at that and slapped his hand against Juice's back. "Aye, well Juicy here's got a few years on you, lad, he can't take it the same way these days."

Juice scowled and gave Chibs a playful smack. "Hey, I'm from Brooklyn, I can hold my own against this little punk." He gave Thomas a kick to the shins and the young blond yelped as he skipped away to his brother's side, reaching for the cigarette in Abel's mouth to take a drag. Abel seemed non-plussed by the whole exchange, his eery expression set still out onto the lot.

"This shit tonight," Juice asked, following Chibs as he headed into the office to pour himself a coffee. Caffeine, he mused as he walked over, that should sort him out. "Tyler, what's got him so spooked?"

Chibs didn't know, it was unlike the One Niners to call and ask for a face-to-face without reason. "Probably yellow trying to edge over again," he muttered as he grabbed a handful of Sweet'n'Lows from Gemma's stash and poured them all straight in. He looked around for a spoon before picking up a pen and using it to stir his drink. "Don't worry, we'll ease it down, there hasn't been a problem we've not been able to handle before."

Juice nodded as he saw a car pull in on the lot. He patted Chibs' shoulders as he saw the cute young woman in the driver's seat and nudged him. "Speaking of handling." Chibs rolled his eyes, not bothering to look. SAMCRO guys were all the same, any girl that pulled in to Teller Morrow was fair game. Disinterested, he waved Juice out to go and do his job while he tossed himself down on the couch and closed his eyes. Five minutes sleep, that was what Chibs needed.

Juice, on the other hand, was already wiping the grease off his hands and onto the back of his jeans as he headed out onto the lot. Thomas was conferring with Abel, debating going over to the girls, but Abel shook his head, motioning to another car parked near the gate of TM. It was clear that, whoever this visitor was, she was being watched from afar - but Juice didn't notice. He jogged over as the girl stepped out of the car, twisting her hair up into a wild pony as she did and looking around the lot with eyes full of memory.

"You need some help?"

Juice tapped the top of the Corvette and Emily smiled a little, realising he didn't recognise her. She shrugged a little, playful, and leaned against the hood. She glanced through the glass at Natasha and winked as her little sister stared curiously at the place around her, barely remembering even a little bit of it. Juice wet his lips inadvertently as he looked at Emily, her fierce blue eyes hidden by her sunglasses, and he smiled as he noticed the little bird tattooed onto her hip bone as it rose above her jeans.

"Sort of," Emily teased, tugging at a strand of hair that refused to stay back from her face. She wound it on her finger as she looked at him with a wry smile before looking around the lot. She paused as she saw the two blond men in the garage and instantly tugged her glasses down. Her eyes fixed on Thomas, unable to believe that that was the little boy she had grown up with. "I, uh…"

Juice followed her eye and took a side step to block her view of the others. This girl was cute, too cute, no way was he going to let either of those Teller boys get a chance. The garage rules were simple - most senior got first dibs. "This a hire car?" he asked, nodding to the Texan plates on it. Emily nodded, returning her attention to him, and toyed with her lower lip as she gazed at him.

"Just in town for a few days. Me and my sister," she said, tapping on the glass. Natasha blushed but slipped out, shy as Juice glanced across at her. He wasn't interested, his sole focus was on the young woman in front of him. "Kind of on a road trip, you know? Exploring the big wide world?"

Juice nodded, putting his hands in his pockets and swinging his hips. "Sounds fun," he said dorkishly, trying to seem as cool as he could. Emily smiled, seeing that he was strangely nervous. "You guys need any tips or anything, just call the garage. Ask for me, my name's Juice." Emily giggled as he extended his hand, and Natasha gave her a shoulder bump as she came up beside her. Juice smiled, trying to put them both at ease. Eventually, Emily gave in, playing handshake chicken was just too cruel when he looked so adorably goofy.

"I'm-"

"Tash?"

Juice twisted around as he heard Chibs' voice bellow out across the lot. He stopped, frozen to the spot, as Chibs barrelled straight across the forecourt. He had idly decided to see whether Juice was having any luck with his prey, and it had taken him less than a second to realise that that was his daughter standing out there on the lot. Nina had sent him picture after picture for years, never with any text more than a brief hello or goodbye, he had been able to see his daughter grow up from a thousand miles away but to see her, here, in Charming, filled his heart with an indescribable warmth.

Unable to keep up with Emily's game, Natasha broke into a grin and pelted across the tarmac to Chibs. She stopped a couple of feet short of him and blushed, embarrassed at her reaction, and shifted awkwardly from one foot to another before biting the bullet and going in to give him a hug. Chibs couldn't hide the grin on his face as he wrapped his arms around her and swung her about, no amount of exhaustion was going to stop him from cuddling the hell out of her.

"Christ, it's you," he said, burying his nose in her hair as he squeezed her to him. Natasha, little Natasha, had turned into quite the grown up. Sure, she was a mousy little thing, but she was his. As Chibs let go of her, he tugged her cardigan around her, trying to straighten her out. "Jesus, Tash, look at you." He held onto her hand, not quite able to let go of her yet before his eyes flicked over to Emily. He laughed to himself as he realised who she was and beckoned her over. "And you, you little minx."

Emily grinned at that, breaking her stony, sexy character as she skipped away from Juice and gave Chibs an almighty hug. Her arms wrapped around his neck as she kissed the scars on his cheeks, just like she used to as a little girl. "Uncle Chibs."

"Aye, uncle Chibs," he laughed, scrunching his hair beneath his hand as he let her go. Emily smirked as she stepped back and tilted her head to the side as she looked at Juice. "You're not going to say hi, Juicy?" Juice didn't answer, tongue-tied with his own confusion. "It's Emmy."

Juice stuttered as he said it. "Emily?" He looked at her, swallowing as he gazed at her. "As in, Tig's Emily?"

Emily laughed and stretched her arms. "What? That mean I don't get a hug?"

Juice turned red as she said it and he shook his head. "No, of course not." He put his arms around her, gentle and careful, unsure of how to even touch her. Emily wasn't a little girl any more. God, she was a woman, a beautiful young woman, and Juice could feel all of his confidence disappearing as Emily squeezed him in her grip. "I, uh, I didn't realise. God, I'm sorry," he said, pulling back quickly, sure his pants were twitching being so close to her. She surely must have felt it because there was a naughty little grin on her lips as she stepped back.

"Ma's coming," Natasha suddenly announced. She didn't mean to say it so loud, it was itching at her tongue and she eyed her father as she said it. "Dropping off our stuff at the hotel, we didn't want to wait."

"Your Ma?" Chibs could feel the blood draining from him as she said it. "She's here?"

"Daddy too," Emily chimed in sharply, before Natasha got too swept up in the idea. "Work to do, he said. He wouldn't let us come alone."

Chibs nodded slowly, pinching Natasha's chin in his fingers. "Aye, that's… that's good, he's looking after you both." He laughed to himself for a moment. "If someone had told me I'd see you today, I wouldn't have believed them." Eager to share his excitement, he whistled at the Teller boys. "You two, get your asses over here."

Thomas was the first over, unable to hide his interest. Abel sauntered behind him, curious but cautious as he eyed the parked escort on the street. Thomas nodded as he looked over Emily, a look of approval in his eye as he roamed around her.

"Belfast did you good, Emmy," he grinned, nudging her. Emily laughed as she threw her arms around him, thrilled to be reunited with her best friend. Thomas laughed and pushed a kiss on her forehead before giving her an awkward punch, unsure of what to do with himself. "You here for long?"

"Few days," Emily said, glancing at Chibs. "Daddy doesn't want us here too long, he said. Said Charming's bad for women's health."

Chibs laughed at that. Tig's only concern was Nina, he was already sure of that. He tugged at the patch of hair beneath his chin as he tried to make light of it. "Ah, it's not so bad. Bit more pollution than green old Ireland but nothing that'll kill you." The club members glanced between themselves, it was a funny sort of joke to make but Chibs was obviously trying to put the girls at ease. "You should just relax while you're here, have fun." He rocked on his heels awkwardly, he was already looking out to see when the other two might arrive.

"So what are we doing out here?" Thomas shrugged, dropping his arm around Emily's shoulders. "Let's go inside, have a beer. Welcome you home."

Emily looked expectantly to Chibs and he nodded. "Aye, of course. The club's your place as much as it is ours, ladies, go on in. Prospect here'll get you a drink," he added, giving Thomas a slap across the back of the head as he sent him towards the club with the girls in tow. Abel trailed behind them, leaving Juice staring after them in confusion. He didn't break his gaze for a second, and Chibs laughed as he spotted Juice's eyes on Emily's ass as she went. "I'd watch that, boyo," he chuckled, running his palm against Juice's Mohawk. "She's got Trager blood running through those veins."

"I wasn't looking!" Juice objected, finally pulling his eyeballs away from her and looking sheepishly at Chibs. Chibs laughed and gave Juice a rough hug.

"Aye, I was the same about her mother too," he mused as the girls disappeared inside. "Just… take it easy, maybe she'll come back to you." He laughed at himself as he looked down. He was saying it to himself as much as to Juice. "The right shite, it'll all fall into place." They both stood in contemplative silence for a moment before Chibs realised he couldn't just stand there, praying. He gave Juice a thump. "Come on. My baby's home, let's welcome her back properly."


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N - I'm a big fan of club dinners and I don't think I've written enough across my previous stories - so watch out, there'll be one in the next chapter and it's going to be brilliant / terrible depending on which teams you support! **

**In the meantime - to give you a visual, I'm working off the idea of ****_Bates Motel_**** actor Max Thieriot playing Thomas, so hopefully that'll help you get an idea of his look!**

**Enjoy, and thank you so much for all the reviews, follows, favourites and messages - it's so cool to have so many amazing supporters and you new fabulous readers too! :)**

**S x**

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><p>Chibs watched, bemused, as Emily held court amongst the younger members of the club. She was perched on the end of the pool table, her legs dangling off the end as Thomas handed her another beer and dragged his stool closer to her. Juice was leaning against the column, his arms crossed as he listened to her chattering away, full of the bright confidence Nina had once had. Chibs sighed to himself as he looked at her, Christ, little Emily was all grown up and she was going to be just as much trouble as her mother, he didn't doubt it for a second.<p>

"How's school?" he ventured, looking at Natasha as she stuck to the bar like a little wallflower beside him. Tash shrugged and gazed at him, nervous and excited all at the same time being in her father's presence. She was holding a glass of whisky in her hand but hadn't dared drink it, she just kept swilling it around anxiously.

"Good," she said. "Last year now, then university. College," she corrected herself to Americanise it. Chibs smiled gently at her eager need to get it right for him. He pursed his lips for a moment, not even sure what to say to that.

"You want to go to college?" he asked, rubbing his thumb over his lip. Natasha shrugged again, it was never something she had considered but Nina had been encouraging.

"Ma, she wants me to. Says I'm smart," she added with a proud smile, her shoulders dropping back as she preened proudly. Chibs felt his heart melting as he looked at her, she was just a child in his eyes but Natasha had grown up far too much in her absence. At least he'd missed the petulant, whiny teenage phase. Now she was a seventeen year old with big, ambitious dreams. His teeth ground gently at the back of his jaw, Charming just wouldn't be the right place for someone like Natasha. She seemed more like Tara - she'd do better learning a craft elsewhere and coming home later in her life.

"Aye, that's because your Ma's smart too," Chibs nodded, squeezing her hand. "Can't have got those big brains from me, love. I'm more muscle, you know?" He flexed his arm and Natasha smiled, the same smile she had had when she was little. He could see she was softening, finding her comfort zone with him, and Chibs decided to venture a little further. "So… your Ma. She and Tig, they're… good?"

Natasha looked at him quizzically before she realised the real reason for the question. She suddenly knocked the glass of whisky back, screwing her eyes shut as she swallowed it, the bitter taste burning her throat. No way could she talk to him about this without some alcohol in her system. "I think so," she murmured, putting the glass on the bar as she turned towards him, reducing the space between them as she said it. She didn't want anybody eavesdropping as she leaned into him. "They've been married now for like, seven years."

Chibs paused, trying to hide his surprise. "Married?" It was something Tig had never mentioned, and he felt like someone had just punched him in the stomach. He turned to the bar and rested both of his hands on it, his head dipping as he steadied himself. Natasha nodded.

"You didn't know?"

"Guess I never asked." That bastard, that rat bastard. All those years, Tig had kept that a secret. Whenever Chibs had asked after Nina, he had given him some non-committal response, assuring him she was fine and the girls were okay. Maybe it was because Chibs had said he never wanted to hear the details, but he didn't think Tig would omit something so major. "And they're happy?"

Natasha looked at him with a sensible look in her eyes. "What other choice does she have?" she asked matter-of-factly. Chibs was about to respond when Tig hurled the front door to the club open and charged in with his usual, confident swagger. He was dressed smartly, a crisp light blue shirt and an Armani suit, his usual IRA get up. There was a roar of approval from the others, Happy was the first to plough into him with an almighty hug. Despite his get-up, Tig was here off-duty and everyone intended to have a full club reunion. Chibs, however, wasn't interested in Tig. He was staring at the door, waiting for Nina to walk in.

He audibly drew his breath as she slipped in behind him. She was dressed casually, a little green dress and a pale cream scarf littered with hummingbirds. She ventured her gaze around the room, spotting both of the girls quickly before her eyes settled on Chibs. Natasha gave him an encouraging push, trying to get him to go over, but Chibs could barely move, his feet rooted to the spot simply through his nerves. When he didn't budge, Nina smiled shyly and kept her place beside Tig. Maybe he was over it. It had been too long, a decade, maybe more. He'd probably moved on, found himself a new old lady. Hell, he probably had a family now, she thought, glancing around for a glimpse of someone else.

Happy engulfed her in a death grip and Nina giggled as she squirmed in his fierce grip. "Hey," she said, wiggling in his arms. "Hap, I can't breathe."

He looked at her as he let her go and nodded. "I missed you." It was a small, shy assurance and Nina couldn't hide her smile as she patted his cheek.

"I missed you too. All of you," she added, casting her eye around. She padded around the club, stopping by Abel and Thomas, looking at them both admiringly. "God, you two are all grown up."

"Told you they were ugly fuckers," Tig called out as they both hugged her. "Like their Dad."

Jax rolled his eyes as he gave Tig a slap across the back. "At least I get to wear my leathers these days, brother," he chuckled, straightening his cut. Tig groaned, rolling his eyes dramatically, they all knew how much he missed wearing the reaper.

"Took long enough," he teased back. Emily watched the men around her bantering playfully, it was what she had been missing without even realising. Thomas hopped up onto the table beside her, squeezing closer to her as he handed her another beer. The affectionate way he pressed his hip to hers made Emily smile as she found herself fitting back into her home. There was no way she was going back to Belfast, she was already sure of it.

As the men around her shrieked and barked between them like a bunch of kids, Emily didn't notice her mother slowly edging her way through the bar towards Chibs. Pretending that she was focusing on Natasha, Nina finally stopped beside him, brushing Tash's hair back from her eyes and kissing her temple. "Glad to see your Da, sweetheart?"

Natasha beamed proudly up at her father. "Of course," she said, like there was no other answer. She leaned forward and whispered, "He's missed you more, though." Before Nina could say anything, Tash stepped to the side and ushered her mother up against the bar, crushing her against Chibs as she scarpered away to join Emily. Nina turned red as she extricated herself from Chibs, mortified, and she looked up at him with an apologetic expression.

"She's a little monkey," Chibs laughed, trying to ease Nina in an instant. "It's good to see you." He was looking over her, studying her carefully. She still looked so similar, although the wrinkles around her eyes were deeper set now. Her fierce curves were softer now but her hourglass shape was still the same, exaggerated by the pull of her outfit. There was a hicky on her neck, just peeking out from beneath her hair, dark and painful-looking where Tig's teeth had clearly left her branded.

"You too," she nodded. She managed a smile as she looked at him. Chibs' hair was greyer now, greyer than it had been before, and he looked tired but with a peace in his expression he had never had before. Maybe it was because he was happy now, maybe he had finally found someone good for him. "Still Prez?" she asked, tapping his badge on his chest. Chibs chuckled and nodded slowly.

"Aye, can't get rid of the damn thing," he said, brushing the patch with his thumb, just catching her finger with his before she withdrew. An electric impulse buzzed between them, a moment of static shock, and Nina yelped as she dragged her hand away quickly. She laughed nervously, her eyes instantly shooting to Tig to see if he was watching, but he was too busy, involved in some sort of drinking game with Bobby, Jax and Hap. Chibs followed her gaze and sighed. "Worried about the husband, huh?" Nina grimaced and he nodded to Natasha. "She told me."

"I thought you'd know," she whispered shyly. Chibs shook his head.

"News to me," he replied. He reached over the bar and got two bottles, handing one over to her. "Guess we should celebrate, right? Mrs Trager?" He downed half of the bottle quickly, needing it to be able to keep up the line of conversation. "Should be proud, I guess. Many a woman tried to tame him…"

"It was more convenience than anything else," Nina murmured absently as she looked at Tig. Standing so close to Chibs, she could feel the heat prickling between them and she tried to swallow it down, ignore it, but it was already proving too hard. "But we kind of found a way." Chibs didn't move, he could feel her fingers just brushing inadvertently against his side and he never wanted the sensation to end. He had been sure he would never feel her touch again in his life, for her to be ghosting against him was too much to cope with.

"Guess you had to." He swallowed as he looked down at her. "Be glad to have you home, even if it's just for a few days." Silence, neither sure what to say. "Tash, she's beautiful, you brought her up just right."

Nina laughed as she looked over at their daughter. Natasha was trying to edge her way into Emily's conversation but Emily was dominating, her bold and brash personality clearly from Tig's gene pool. Chibs chuckled as he pointed out Juice, crushing hopelessly on the older of the two and Nina smiled, ribbing him gently with her finger. "You used to look at me like that."

If she had paused to look away, she would have noticed that he was still staring at her like that. In love. Infatuated. Incapable of looking at anything else. Chibs rubbed his hand against the back of his head and sighed, his body flagging as Tig finally clocked the two of them talking and made his way straight over to get between them. He slipped his arm around Nina's waist, yanking her against him possessively.

"She looks good, right?" he grinned at Chibs, nipping Nina's earlobe with his teeth as he nodded towards Natasha. Chibs was still staring at Nina as he nodded.

"Aye, she's more beautiful than I'd ever imagined," he whispered. Nina glanced across at him and caught his eye before both blushed and turned away from each other, unnoticed by Tig as he looked at the guys around Emily. Noticing Thomas resting his hand just an inch too close to her ass for Tig's comfort, he clapped his hands and moved towards them, shooing them away.

"Back off now," he reprimanded, giving Thomas a clout as he shoved him away. "You keep your filthy paws off my girl."

In a bold move, Chibs pushed his hand against Nina's, pressing his little finger to link with hers gently. Nina knew better than to look at him, but there was a little smile playing on the edge of her lips as she drew his hand behind her, shielding it from view as she squeezed him back. It was innocent, surely, and she closed her eyes for just a second before Chibs pulled his hand away.

"We should have dinner, tonight," he insisted, raising his voice to the club. "I'll talk to Gem. Seeing as we've got the whole family here." There were a couple of cheers, Bobby was never one to pass up on Gemma's cooking and Tig groaned with pleasure at the mere thought. Thomas elbowed Emily and leaned close to her.

"Grandma's isn't so bad, you can sit by me," he whispered, nudging her ear with the tip of his nose and making her giggle. "She'll be all weepy histrionics the second she sees me talking to a girl, you just watch. It'll be a blast."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N - This chapter is setting a few little things up but hope you'll enjoy it! Everyone's got a different game plan, but is anybody thinking about the step after this one? I sure am ;) S x**

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><p>The mood was jovial as the club members piled into Gemma's kitchen, greeting her with the usual kisses and hugs as they ploughed through on their way to snatch the beers out of the fridge and find a place to stand and chat. Chibs paused for an extra moment to give her a grateful squeeze.<p>

"I'm sorry it's such short notice," he said. Gemma smiled as she patted his arm.

"You know me, an excuse to feed my boys." She waved her hands around, there were enough crow eaters giving her help. If there was one thing Gemma could always do, it was orchestrate a meal. "Must be strange, having her back." She nodded towards Nina, who had already been pressed up into the corner counter by Tig as he made no effort to hide his designs on her. His hands were reaching to edge up her skirt and Gemma clapped her hands. "Hey! Not in here, I'm cooking."

Nina coloured and pushed Tig back. He wrinkled his nose at Gemma and winked. "You're just jealous," he teased. "Just because you want a little bit of Tig, Gem." She crossed her arms and looked at him with a bemused smile.

"Well my gravy doesn't need your 'special sauce', Tiggy, so put it away."

As they went back and forth, Chibs eyed Nina from his spot with his brothers, noticing she was a little withdrawn. It must have been strange, coming from the very private world of Belfast back to the loud, club life of Charming. The relationship she shared with Tig out there didn't seem appropriate here. Maybe it was simply because Chibs was there... that was what he liked to think, at least.

Emily barrelled through the group with Thomas right behind her, squealing as they both shot out of the front door in giggles. Gemma's eyes narrowed as she followed them and she pressed a finger into Tig's chest.

"Don't you let her distract him," she said firmly. "He's meant to patch next month, I need him on top form, understand?"

Tig rolled his eyes as he crossed to the window and flicked the blind to watch the two of them. They were leaning on the porch, sharing a cigarette as they conferred between themselves. He could see the look in Thomas' eye, it was the same one Jax had had when he was that age. One looking for trouble.

"Talk to him, Grandma," he said, letting go of the slat. "That kid's been to Catholic school and had an escort every minute of her goddamn existence. My Emmy's a good girl."

Gemma snorted contemptuously. "What, like her mother?"

"Hey," Tig objected, annoyance flickering over his face as she said it. "I know you haven't always got on, but that's my wife you're talking about." He winked at Nina as she raised her hand and waved casually, but Gemma was astute, she could see how Chibs was looking at her too.

"I'm just saying." She lowered her voice and tapped Tig's chest as she leaned into him. "Make sure you have a handle on that, okay?" She kissed his cheek, playing with the collar of his shirt for a moment and looking up at him. "You know I love you, Tig, I'm just looking out for our families, you know?"

Tig grinned and motioned around. "I got everything I could ever have asked for," he said, snatching up Nina's hand and pulling her over. "Woman of my dreams, gorgeous girls, support of my club." He kissed Nina's cheek, his stubble burning her soft skin as he nuzzled her. "And you making me steak. What more can a man ask for, huh?"

"Beer," Jax chipped in, pushing a cold one into his hands and motioning to the dining table. "Now come and drink with us, unless you want to hang out with the women in the kitchen. Pussy." He chuckled. "Sorry Mom. Too much oestrogen around him in Ireland, clearly."

He winked at his mother and escorted Tig through to the rest of the club members. Nina took his departure as a chance to step up, she crossed to Gemma and smiled.

"Can I do anything to help?"

Gemma took up her hand and examined the wedding ring on her finger, turning it about carefully as she examined it. It was a simple emough band, silver, strong, with SAMCRO engraved into it. Beside the reaper one Tig had previously given to Nina, it looked just right on her slight hand. There was no question, she was Tig's old lady.

"Keep your legs crossed and just remember who you belong to now," she said coolly, her voice quiet in their private exchange. "You walked away from shit here. You can't come back and stir it up. Everyone's been just fine without you." Gemma gestured towards Chibs as he laughed with the others and Nina blushed, shaking her head quickly.

"Nothing's going to happen, Gemma."

"It better not." Gemma was on defence, Tig had always been her favourite and she was determined to make sure he was happy. "Because you upset the balance in the club while you're here? You won't even make it back to Belfast."

Nina swallowed, suddenly nervous from Gemma's threat. Gemma smiled and patted Nina's ass as she went to correct one of the girls chopping vegetables. Gathering herself, Nina paced over to Natasha, who was sitting on the couch with Nero, and squeezed up beside them. Nero beamed at her as Natasha cuddled up closer to him.

"Grandpa was just telling me about how the club works," Natasha explained, motioning over. "About patches and charters and stuff."

Nina laughed and rolled her eyes. "Grandpa shouldn't be telling you anything," she murmured with a slightly disapproving smile. "Club life isn't something you'll ever really know. Once you go to college, you can do anything you want, Tash, you won't need to stay in Belfast."

A happy roar of laughter bellowed through from the other room and Natasha shrugged as she looked at Chibs. "I don't know, maybe I should look around here, UCLA or something. Be closer to Da." Her expression was sweet as she looked at Nina. "I don't want him to be on his own, he's getting older, he should have a support network. Uncle Galen says family is important as you get older."

That was the thing about Natasha, she was always trying to do the best by everyone. Nina could see the pride with which she looked at Chibs, it was the same way she had seen him as a girl. Chibs was her prince, he was a fairytale and he was nothing but perfect. She sighed, trying to avoid looking over at him, knowing that Gemma was watching, waiting for her to slip up.

"Your Da is just fine," she said softly. "He has a whole life out here. Right, Daddy?" she added quickly, looking to Nero for some assurance. Nero tilted his head to the side.

"Not really. Just the club. Couple of girls from Diosa, but rarely. He was hung up on you for a long, long time." He tapped her arm lightly. "Things evolve, Nina, I get that. But that's because people move away. When they come back... It's hard to just pretend nothing's changed. He just resigned himself to being a bachelor." He smiled a little as he chuckled. "Guess he always hoped-"

"Food's ready," Gemma announced brightly, interrupting them. Natasha gritted her teeth in frustration, she had wanted to hear what her grandfather had to say but Nero stopped, knowing better than to talk about anything in front of Gemma. With a sigh, Natasha bounced up to score a place near Chibs at the table, and Nero kissed Nina's hand as he helped her up from the couch.

"It'll all work out," he whispered as they stood up. He walked her to the table and grinned as he spotted the remaining seats. One was wedged between Chibs and Tig, the other up beside Gemma. He gave Nina a gentle push towards her seat as Nero pressed a kiss on Gemma's head and sat with her.

Tig was engrossed in a story he was telling the others, but Chibs leaned back and tugged Nina's chair out for her to sit. Natasha couldn't hide her smile as she watched her parents interact, so in love with the idea of them falling in love all over again. She hid her expression, however, as Emily crashed into the spot next to her loudly. Thomas barked at Abel to move down a spot so that he could sit next to her, and Jax's lip twitched into a smile. He nudged Tig.

"Who'd have thought those two?" he teased. Tig scowled for a moment as he watched Thomas serving Emily politely.

"Dream on," he frowned, waving his hand dismissively. "Nothing's gonna happen that I don't approve. My girls know that."

Nina was barely listening. She was idly toying with her fork when she felt Chibs' hand slip onto her knee beneath the table. Blushing, she went to push it away gently only to find him tangling his fingers with hers and leading her hand onto his knee instead. There was nothing aggressive about the move, it wasn't controlling or possessive, not like the way Tig touched her. It was beautiful and affectionate, and it made her feel warm, her skin flushing with excitement. Natasha spotted it instantly and pretended to drop her knife, dipping her head beneath the table to see their two hands clasped together.

"You can't control that shit," Juice chipped in. "Love's love, it just happens sometimes."

"Whether it's meant to or not," Natasha contributed boldly. The men fell silent at the young girl's input, it surprised all of them but Chibs couldn't help but smile at her words.

"Aye, some things are meant to be," he murmured with a little wink to her as he squeezed Nina's hand beneath the table. "Like us all being home together, just for a little while. So let's enjoy it."


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N - It's SOA so I'm up late in London so I can watch the show (seriously, I have a proper addiction to this show). Anyway, it means that I got the second half of dinner done - so enjoy! There's a little love fairy somewhere in Charming, I think, everyone should watch out!**

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><p>Tig groaned as he rested his hand on his stomach and leaned back in his seat, stretching out and groaning as his swollen belly extended out beyond its usual spot. Jesus, Gemma could cook, and she did seriously love to feed her boys, that was clear. Nina wasn't the world's greatest cook, that was for sure, and she was nothing compared to Gem. He lolled his head against her shoulder while he continued to talk with Bobby, keeping an idle eye on Emily as he did. Nina tapped his hand gently to excuse herself as she started to stack up dishes.<p>

"I can do that," Gemma said, waving her to sit down but Nina shook her head.

"No, don't be silly, it's the least I can do." She cleared down one side of the table and watched as Natasha quickly helped with the other, piling them up and taking them through to the kitchen. Chibs, looking for an excuse, picked up a couple of napkins Nina had left behind and followed her into the other room. Natasha, understanding his reason, winked for a second and slipped out onto the porch so nobody would realise that her parents were alone.

"Let me do that," Chibs murmured as Nina started to load the plates in the sink. She ran her hands beneath the hot water and smiled at him softly.

"I've got it," she replied gently, squeezing some washing up liquid into the bowl as it started to fill. "Don't worry."

Chibs leaned his ass against the draining board as his fingers gripped onto the edge of the counter. He looked at her, a somewhat shy sort of smile as he did. Their feet had been softly teasing each other throughout dinner, it had been impossible to hold onto her hand for as long as he'd wanted to while they were eating, although he had purposefully cut up his entire meal at the beginning into bite-sized chunks so he could slip his hand back onto her knee as soon as he could.

"Feels good, having you here again," he said, pushing a strand of her hair out of her face as she plunged her hands into the water and started to wash up. Nina nodded, edging away from him a little, uncertain of who from the other room might be watching.

"Feels like I never left," she replied, stopping for a minute to remove her rings and put them on the windowsill. "Apart from those."

Chibs couldn't help but look at them as they taunted him. "Aye, minor detail," he frowned, tugging at his beard. "I mean, those things don't mean shite any more."

"They do to me." Nina glanced at him quickly before returning her focus to her task. Chibs pouted a little. "I didn't think I'd ever come back here, Filip. And Alex, he's… he's good to me." She didn't seem all that convinced as she said it and Chibs could hear her voice waiver. It was clearly something she had had to convince herself of. "He loves me, he takes care of both of the girls equally. No 'Natasha's not mine' crap, he treats them both like his own. Keeps us safe, warm, never wanting for anything." She was realising how convenient it was all sounding. "And he loves me, Filip."

Chibs pulled a face. "Sure. But do you love him?"

She didn't answer for a moment and that stray hair fell back into her eyes. Nina tried to blow it out of the way but Chibs reached across and moved it once more for her, his fingers connecting with her skin made her shiver and she yelped as a steak knife slid against her hand, scraping over her palm. She dragged it out quickly, blood streaking down her forearm as she snatched up a towel and wrapped it around her. Emily was there in an instant, eyeing Chibs suspiciously and backing him away.

"You okay?" she frowned, looking at the red droplets on the floor. Nina winced as she flashed the damage to her and re-dressed the thing quickly. Emily looked accusingly over at Chibs as Tig walked in. "What did you do to her?"

"What? Nothing!" Chibs frowned, putting his hands up.

"I was just being clumsy, Em, that's all." Nina could already see Tig sizing Chibs up as she said it. "Honestly, I'm fine, it was an accident."

Tig tilted his head back as he sneered at Chibs. "I thought Natasha was helping out?" he frowned, leading Nina away from the sink and sitting her down on a stool. Chibs swallowed, trying to think on his feet quickly.

"She was feeling a little nauseous. She just went outside for some air," he said, motioning to the front door. Tig pulled it open a fraction to see Natasha sitting on the front step, playing with her phone. She turned around and smiled at him, a wily little smile that seemed perfectly innocent out of context. She hopped up to come back in and Tig softened a little as she went to look over her mother's hand. Both men watched as Natasha undressed it and looked at the damage carefully.

"Just needs a couple of stitches, that's all," she said, looking expectantly up at Chibs for some sort of help. He nodded, Gemma was sure to have a patch up kit somewhere in the house. He went to get one and returned shortly after to see that Natasha had already prepared everything to do it herself.

"You should be a doctor," he mused, watching her as she laid Nina's hand out flat on the table. Emily huffed, annoyed.

"Yeah, good smart little Natasha. Whatever."

Irritated, she stomped out to the porch, slamming the screen door behind her. Tig groaned. "These women." He started after her, but Thomas slipped around and rested his hand on Tig's shoulder for a moment, nervous but feeling the need to step up.

"Let me talk to her," he said softly. "Please?"

He didn't wait for an answer but stalked straight out, shutting the door more carefully this time as he went out. Emily had hoisted herself up to perch on the railings, one leg dangling on either side with her back against the porch column, and she was smoking a cigarette as she stared out at the street. Thomas tilted his head to the side a little as he looked at her and leaned beside her. Seeing that she didn't want to talk - not yet at least - he found a bent-looking cigarette from his pocket and fumbled around, patting himself down in pretence of looking for a lighter. Coming up short, he looked at her with a hopeless, puppy-dog smile.

"You got a light, darlin'?" he asked, gripping the thing between his teeth. Emily offered him her own smoke and he held it to the end of his, lighting it from the flame at the end. Seeing it catch, he took a drag and sighed, blowing the stream up into the air. He didn't speak, just waiting for her to get her frustration out of her system.

"It's such bullshit, you know?" Emily didn't look at him, her eyes were focused on the pretty little potted plants around the balcony area. "Prissy little fucking Natasha. She's so goddamn clever. Just like her Da, whatever. It's all shit." She flicked some of the ash off the end and messed her hair up. "I wasn't good at school, I struggled through it. I was great here, but that fucking convent in Belfast? No, no way. Only passed because Galen paid the examiners off." She laughed as she finally ventured a look at him. "Sorry, I shouldn't be telling you this shit. Didn't mean to unload."

Thomas shrugged casually. "I don't mind. It's hard living in someone else's shadow." Emily raised an eyebrow. "Well, you know. Dad. Grandpa. Hell, even Abel. Guy's creepy as shit but those assholes in there love him. Just trying to earn my place, you know?"

Emily smiled a little and nudged his shoulder with her nose. "You'll be a great member of the club."

"If they patch me," Thomas corrected her, taking another drag. "I'm trying, seriously, but sometimes I think it'll never happen." He looked down at his hands. "My folks, they were good for a few years after you guys left. Had Sully, for one." Another drag, his frown deepened. "Guess it's been weird since Dad patched back in. They go through phases, you know? Totally in love, totally out of it. Grandma says Mom never really accepted the club, even though she tried."

"Maybe it's because she never grew up with it?" Emily volunteered. Thomas nodded.

"Yeah, I thought that too. I just, I don't want that, you know? I want someone who gets it."

Emily smiled as she finished her smoke and flicked the end into the plants below her feet. "Then you just gotta find the right girl, right? Someone who knows the life, knows the members? Wants to be here…?" She was leaning pretty close now and Thomas blinked up at her, his eyes connecting with hers. Nervous, he touched the tip of his finger to her nose.

"So who said you're not smart, huh?" Fearfully, he pushed a kiss onto her cheek. Emily, thinking he was going for her lips and wanting to divert, swung her head to the side and inadvertently slammed her mouth right up against his. Both were taken by surprise and she couldn't help but giggle into his mouth as they eased back from each other. Thomas turned red as his eyes swam over her, the same little Emily he had had a hopeless crush on as a kid.

Emily took a little breath. It wasn't like she was about to tell him, but she had never expected her first kiss, her first real kiss, to be back here, in Charming, with Thomas. She could feel the heat flushing through her cheeks, giving her a rosy glow as she dipped her eyes away. "We should, uh, go back inside," she murmured awkwardly. Thomas gave her a hand and she held onto it as she swung her leg over the bannister and jumped down onto the decking. "My Daddy… he'd be pretty mad, we should maybe not say anything…"

"Yeah, of course." Thomas rubbed the back of his head with his hand. "Sorry, I totally shouldn't have- that was an accident, I mean."

"It's okay," she said, a little smile playing on her lips. "I didn't say I didn't want another one, Tommy, let's just keep it between ourselves. For now," she added, with a wink as she reached for the door. Thomas grinned as he dipped his head and bowed for her to walk in, doing a little jump in the air behind her in excitement as he bounced back into the house with her.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N - Oh my gosh. The actual show is killing me right now so I'm keeping things relatively light, for now. Let me know if you want me to ramp it up, though!**

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><p>It always filled Gemma with a strange sense of pride to see her boys all getting onto their bikes after a meal at her place. She watched hesitantly as Thomas beckoned Emily over to ride with him, but forced a smile as he turned to wave her goodbye<p>

She surveyed them one by one. Jax was leaning back, finishing off his cigarette. Tara barely ever rode on his bike any more, even if she did get involved in club dinners, she'd always drive separately with little Sully. Gemma pulled a face, she wondered if things between them were as bad as it seemed sometimes. The club made Jax happy, she was sure of that, but she wondered if Tara tried to force his hand to one or the other. Gemma sighed, it had never been easy for them.

Tig's obnoxious laugh echoed through the street as he bent Nina backwards over his old Harley, playing some kind of kiss-chase with her as he pinned her down. Gemma sneered as she watched them, there was something unnatural about the way they were together which she just couldn't pin down. She could see Chibs keeping a steady eye on them, she was sure he wasn't even trying to but it was probably inadvertent. Maybe she should have Nero have a word.

"Empty nest, mama?"

Like he had heard her thoughts, Nero slipped his arms around Gemma's waist as the rowdy crew drew away in order. She leaned back into him, closing her eyes, and relaxed her body against his. Nero had this way of soothing all of her tempestuous worries in an instant, and she murmured contently as he nuzzled her ear.

"I just worry about them," she said. "Must be strange, this new influx of women."

Nero clicked his tongue as he drew her inside. "That's my familia, Gem, my babygirl and her girls. Their girls," he reminded her. "Tig and Chibs, they are _their_ daughters. They ain't faultless, you know?"

Gemma smiled. "Oh, believe me, I know that." She leaned on the counter as she watched Nero pour himself a coffee. "There's just so much shit, Nero. Chibs, he still loves her." Nero remained silent and Gemma looked at him, baiting him to answer. "You can't pretend you didn't notice."

Nero shook his head. "What those two had, Gem, it was messy but it was strong. Really strong." It was clearly something he had already been thinking about. "They never had that chance to get it right."

"She left." Gemma scoffed abruptly. "Do you know much about crows?" Nero shook his head. "The females mate for life. The guys, they take what they want but the girls? They pick one mate and they stick to him."

Nero's lip curled into a smile. "So you think Tig can sleep around?" Gemma laughed.

"I _know_ Tig sleeps around," she corrected him. "He always has, he always will. That's just the way it is. Nina, she's his old lady. She can't come back here, fall back into old habits with Chibs. It's bad news, for her, for them, for the club." She shook her head. "If the balance with the IRA gets knocked-"

"It won't happen," Nero said firmly. "Nina's a bright girl."

"I've seen her do plenty of stupid things," Gemma murmured, taking Nero's coffee from the counter and sipping it. "We all do stupid things, but it's about consequences. Please," she said, an encouraging smile on her face. "Just... talk to her. Make sure she knows the impact of what she's doing."

Nero smiled. Talking to Nina about something like that was like asking for a smack in the face, but he nodded. "I'll try, mama," he said. Pursing his lips, he tilted his head. "You doing this for Tig or for Chibs?"

Gemma rested her hands on her hips. She remembered that moment, being torn between JT and Clay. She remembered the lust and the ambition, and the regret once JT was dead.

"I'm doing this for Nina," she said softly. "I'm just trying to help. From one old lady to another."

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><p>Emily pulled a face as she slipped behind the bar and turned the music up louder. The sound of her parents fucking in the apartment didn't seem to be bothering anyone but her and Chibs, but she would rather not listen to it again. She heard it way too often to be healthy as it was.<p>

"Do you think you can get psychological problems from hearing your folks screw?" she asked, glancing over at Thomas. He grinned and Happy leaned on the bar, a serious expression on is face.

"Oh yes you can."

He knocked back a shot and walked off and Thomas sniggered, swinging his hips as he looked at Happy joining Jax at the pool table.

"Seriously. If he's what you've got to go by, crank that shit up," he suggested, leaning over to turn the rock up louder. The base thumped through the building and a few girls got up and started to dance. Emily laughed as she watched them.

"They do that a lot?" she asked, motioning to them. "Dance like little monkeys for your attention?"

"Maybe not like monkeys," Thomas teased, his eyes swimming over her. "Bet you've got some moves in you, anyway."

Emily grinned as she came around the bar and gave her waist a little wiggle. She could see Thomas' eyes light up and she laughed at him. "Keep dreaming, sunshine," she said, pressing her finger into his chest. Her mirthful expression disappeared as, just as the player changed tracks, she heard an almighty groan from the other room. "Fuck, they're so disgusting."

"Ah, it's not so bad." Thomas had heard a lot worse coming from that room. "They're married." He saw Natasha heading over to get herself another drink. "And they love each other."

Natasha snorted at that and Emily waved her hand. "Ignore her." She rolled her eyes. "Tash still thinks Mom'll end up with Chibs."

Natasha smiled at that. "That's because I believe in true love," she said. Thomas could see her little face lighting up as she said it, he was softening to her but Emily was quick to shut her down.

"And who would love you?" she scowled, irritated. "A little bookworm?"

Natasha coloured, her ears growing red as she bit down on her lip to stop herself from crying. Emily was always biting, but doing it in front of the club guys hit her hard in her stomach. She turned on her heel and pelted out towards the front, only to slam straight into Happy as she did.

"Woah," he said, frowning at her sad expression. "What's happened?"

"Nothing, she's just being a crybaby," Emily called out. "She's a fantasist, that's all."

Thomas frowned. "Ease up, Em, she's just a kid." He looked over at Happy as he towered over Natasha, his huge presence overpowering hers as he seemed to warm to her. He nudged Emily. "And I wouldn't be so sure, there are guys around here who might quite take a shine to her..."

Happy was taking Natasha's hand very, very carefully in his now, like he might break her, and leading her over to the couch. If Chibs might not have been staring so obsessively at the apartment door, waiting for Nina to come back, he would have been sure to object.

"We should go," Jax said, finally tapping on Chibs' shoulder, shaking him from his trance-like state. "Meet the Niners."

Just as Chibs looked away, Tig yanked the apartment door open. His hair was wild and he had a huge grin spread across his face as he swaggered out. "Where are you going?" he asked, looking at Jax as he heard the end of the conversation.

"Yellow problem," Chibs murmured. He could hear the shower running, he could just picture Nina scrubbing herself clean of Tig's pheromones and sweat.

"I could go for Chinese," Tig grinned. "Worked up quite an appetite."

Without waiting for approval, he strode confidently out, swinging his cut on as he went and Chibs sighed. "Why not," he mused to himself as he motioned for Jax and Thomas to follow. He whistled at Happy, a sharp shrill blast to break his attention from Natasha. "Let's sort shit out," he called as Happy crossed to join him. "End the night on a high."


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N - Still keeping it relatively light but we all know what's going to happen, let's be honest. But is Nina the only one having problems with her relationship...?**

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><p>Tara arrived at the clubhouse looking exhausted. She was sure she had never been so tired, being called in for a double shift because they were so regularly short-staffed was killing her. She had a sleepy Sully on her shoulder, grumbling about being pulled out of the car when he had just been falling asleep, and she handed him off to one of the crow eaters the second she got in. Abel watched her carefully, studying his little brother as he was carried over to the couch, and grabbed a beer for Tara.<p>

"Long day?"

Tara pinched his chin gently as she took the drink and took a long swig. "Yeah, it's getting worse. Margaret just won't pull more people in." She blew the air out of her cheeks as she looked around the relatively empty club. "I'm sorry I missed dinner. Are they still there?"

Abel shook his head. "Went to see Tyler. Should be nearly done, they left an hour ago." He looked beneath the bar for a plastic lunchbox. "Grandma told us to bring you some food." He pushed it into her hands and watched as Tara sighed with a little relief as she started to dig through it with a fork. Abel crossed his arms as he watched her, she looked stressed out and fed up. "Tig's here. Brought Nina with him." Tara looked up in surprise, her mouth full. "Emily and Natasha too. They're asleep in the apartment."

He jerked his thumb towards the room and Tara got up, abandoning her dinner as she did. She opened the door and looked in to see the three women sprawled on the bed. She laughed, Emily was zoned out, a flood of black curls across the pillow while Natasha had fallen asleep in a ball at the end of the bed between her sister and her mother. Nina's eyes had been closed, but the moment she heard the door, she blinked her eyes open and sat up.

"Tara?"

Her face relaxed as she got up and went to give Tara a hug. It had been a long time, but the relief each woman found in the other was surprising. Tara felt herself relax into Nina's grip as they cuddled each other, as if the very movement was releasing some of the tensions in each of their lives.

"You're home?" Tara asked, motioning out to the bar to leave the other two sleeping. Nina nodded.

"Aye, just for a week or so. They wanted to see Charming." She pointed back towards her daughters. "It was always going to happen." Tara laughed, it was the exact same draw she had had pulling her back to Charming. This place, it had a special kind of grip on the people who grew up there.

"I know." She nodded towards Nina's bound hand. "You okay?"

"Accident," Nina said dismissively, tugging her sleeve down over her palm. "How are you, Tara?" She gave her a sympathetic smile. "No offence, sweetheart, but you look like you've had enough."

Tara laughed and nodded. "Yeah, I probably have." She was about to continue when Sully came pelting over. His messy blond hair was falling in his eyes as he stared up at Nina. Tara sighed, she had hoped he would fall asleep but there he was, full of beans and tireless like his father. "Have you come to say hello?" She hoisted him onto her hip so he was at the same eye-height as Nina. "This is your Aunty Nina." Sully leaned into her shyly and pulled at her ear whispering for a second before Tara laughed. "He says you're pretty."

"And he's just gorgeous," she smiled, messing his hair beneath her palm. "And what's your name, buddy?"

"Sully," he said with a shy little pout. "I'm seven."

Nina smiled at Tara at his astute little affirmation. "Smart little boy," she said, tapping his temple with her fingertip. "So you and Jax are happy?" Tara nodded slowly.

"We get through it." She could see the ring on Nina's hand and touched it gently. "You and Tig?" Nina pulled at her lip as she nodded.

"Like you said. We get through." They smiled at each other in understanding, life with the club men was hard, their focus was always split. Sully reached across to play with Nina's hair and she laughed at his behaviour. "You're a flirt, hey? Like your Dad?"

Just as Sully was about to answer, the doors were hurled open and Happy came roaring in, his arm supporting Chibs as they limped through. Tig was cursing loudly as Juice came through with him, and Tara winced as she saw the blood streaking along Tig's face and arm as they pounded across the club. Tara put Sully down quickly and tapped his ass, encouraging him to go and sit down on the couch as she hurried over to help. Nina glanced between the two of them before following Tara.

"What the hell happened?" she asked, cupping Tig's face and pushing a kiss onto his cheek. Tig groaned dramatically as he leaned back on the pool table, showing off his wound.

"Chinese. Borrowed a sushi chef," he joked as Tara tugged his jacket away to see a huge slice taken out of his arm with a blade. Nina gagged at the sight of it, turning her face away as she did. She looked at Chibs, he had a nasty bruise forming beneath a cut on his eye.

"I thought this was meant to be a 'peaceful discussion'?" she frowned disapprovingly. Chibs rolled his eyes and winced as he did.

"It was." He nodded to Jax as he walked in, easing his weight off one hip from a nasty bout of the fight. The club looked bruised, sore but strangely proud of themselves for the hassle they'd managed to get themselves into. Maybe it had been too quiet for too long. "And then it escalated."

Tara groaned as Bobby brought her kit over and she eased Tig to lie back on the pool table. It would be the easiest way to tend to him, and Thomas ran over with a bottle of Jack to ease Tig's pain. "Take a swig," he said encouragingly. "Should help."

"A joint'll ease it up," Tig snapped, irritated at the prospect's eager attempt to help. "Ask your Grandma for one."

As the commotion swelled around them, it became clear that Tara needed to take the lead on Tig's injury. The gash was severe, it needed cleaning and stitching and she was the only one really capable of doing it. Nina backed away a few steps, trying to find a way to make herself useful before she finally settled on Chibs. Typical. Reaching for some ice from the bar, she motioned towards chapel, where he could sit quietly for a moment before she could dress his eye socket.

Chibs was struggling on his feet as he walked through. He dropped down onto the edge of the table, not even having enough strength to take himself to his seat, and smiled with exhaustion as Nina lifted the bag of ice to his eye.

"Aye, thank you," he murmured as she held it in place. He lifted his hand to take over, but Nina didn't let go, supporting the weight of the thing. She tried not to look as Chibs' hand rested on top of hers, his thumb rubbing over the back of her palm. "Things got a little out of hand, I forgot what Tiggy was like in the fray, you know?"

Nina smiled at that. "What? An idiot? How did you forget that?" Her eye connected with his as she said it and Chibs allowed himself an easy grin. Nina pulled the ice bag away to take a look at the cut, it was a gash from someone's ring right beneath Chibs' eye socket. It was swollen and sore already, a little streak of blood rolling down his cheek. "Fisticuffs?" she asked. She rooted through her handbag for a small kit, it wasn't much but she always carried enough to tidy up a little mess. Taking out some alcohol rub, she touched it to his cheek and watched as he hissed, wriggling away from her. Without thinking, she leaned in tighter to him, pressing her body against his to keep him still as she murmured, "Hush, sweetheart, I've got it." Her voice was so gentle, so warm, and Chibs found himself swallowing at her proximity to him. All he wanted to do was wind his arm around her, pull her closer to him. Hell, the honest truth was that he wanted to drag her on top of him, roll her beneath him and own every little bit of her body.

He whimpered slightly as she drew his skin tight to apply the little butterfly stitches to his cheek. "Shouldn't you, uh, be tending to your old man?" he asked hesitantly. Nina didn't look at him as she murmured,

"I am, aren't I?"

One hand was resting on his shoulder, the other ghosting against his face as she smoothed the stitches over with her thumb. The dedication and focus in her eyes was intense and Chibs couldn't stop himself as he circled his arm around her waist and boldly leaned up, pushing a kiss onto her lips. Nina inhaled sharply at the embrace, she was kidding herself to think she wasn't expecting it when they were so close to each other in that moment. Chibs' tongue ran softly against her mouth, prying her lips apart to taste her more intimately, and Nina moaned almost silently at the sensation as he instinctively pulled her to grind against his knee.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, her forehead against his as she pulled back, arching her hips away from his leg. "I… shouldn't."

"You're not doing anything wrong," Chibs replied, trying not to let her get away. His hands were on her waist, he didn't want her to move back, to break that connection they had between them. It was impossible to ignore, he hated that he had to even try. She was shaking her head as he said it.

"_You're_ not. I'm.. I can't, Filip. I'm married to him, I-"

She stopped, suddenly pushing Chibs' hands away from her as she turned at the sound of the door handle. She laughed with relief as she saw Sully sticking his head around the door, looking at them both with those wide brown eyes and charming little Teller grin, and she eased away from Chibs, putting space between them.

"Hey, buddy," she said, crouching down to Sully's height. "You okay?"

"Are you helping Uncle Chibs?" Sully asked, eyeing them both with a wry smile. Nina glanced back at Chibs and nodded quickly.

"Sure. He's got a little bruise, see?" She motioned to Chibs to move the ice pack away and show Sully. "It'll be okay though, it's just a little scratch." His disturbance was a sign, she had to remember that. It was her better judgement telling her to back away. Knowing better than to stay with temptation any longer, she straightened up and took Sully's hand in hers. "Why don't we go check on your Dad, okay?"

Sully nodded and Nina paused at the door for just a moment, glancing back towards Chibs with an apologetic smile. Chibs groaned as she let the door shut on him, sloping his neck back in frustration. Damn it, he had been so goddamn close. Her taste was burning his tongue, he needed her back. He closed his eyes for a moment, fantasising over the thought of them not being disturbed. He was already positive he would have been able to tempt her to a second embrace.

"All in good time, Telford," he murmured to himself. He would wait, he would wait as long as she needed for another chance. It wasn't like he hadn't dedicated enough time in his life to her. "It'll happen."


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N - Okay, well, this was never my intention but sometimes these guys get out of hand. Maybe they need spaying. Either way, this story has just ramped up to a BIG FAT M, just to warn you of the more innocent minds! Anyway, enjoy, and know that this is - as always - going to cause all manner of hell. Enjoy! S x**

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><p>Emily frowned as she saw the perfectly domestic sight of her parents sitting down having coffee the following morning. Nina was reading over the paper while Tig had taken apart seven different guns and had the parts spread across the table as he cleaned them. Emily raised an eyebrow, they seemed astonishingly calm considering how over-zealous Tig had been at the club the night before.<p>

"Morning," she murmured as she went to help herself to coffee. "How's the arm?"

Tig flexed it back and forth a few times, testing it out. The pain was no more than a constant one now, maybe that was the joint he had smoked that morning. "I've had worse," he shrugged, resting his elbow on the table again as he started to slot his Colt back together again. "It'll heal."

Emily pushed her lower lip out as she leaned against the counter. "Got pretty rowdy last night," she mused over the edge of her mug, the steam hiding her eyes. "I'd forgotten what that was like."

Nina cleared her throat. "For the best," she corrected gently. "Club life isn't so well suited to kids and teenagers, you should never have known it in the first place."

Tig clicked his tongue. "Who are you kidding, baby? You love it when I come home all bloody." He grinned at Emily. "Best blow job I've had in months last night."

Emily gagged, just the thought made her nauseous, why Tig ever thought it was appropriate to share that stuff with her, she would never know. She looked at Nina, who was staring guiltily down at her reading. It wasn't the injury that had made her a more eager sexual partner last night, that was for sure. Trying to hide what she was sure had been screamingly obvious to everyone had been a bigger motivation.

When neither really spoke any more, Emily brushed her hair out of her face and thought about testing the water. She put her cup down on the table and idly examined her nails. "Tommy is sweet," she ventured. "He's taking me for lunch today." Tig stilled instantly and looked at Nina. Seeing that she didn't intend to get involved, Tig settled his gun on the table and crossed his arms, wincing a little as he did.

"No," he said firmly, not waiting to hear any more on the subject. "No club members, and especially no Tellers."

Emily's expression didn't hide her irritation at the immediate shut down. "What? But you're a club member!" Nina smiled a little bit at that.

"And just think what an asshole he is," she teased, giving Tig a little poke.

"It's a little hypocritical, isn't it?" Emily argued, her hands on her hips. "Telling me I can't when you did."

"No, Emmy, it's not going to happen." Tig was adamant. "It's simple, Tellers are assholes and your new buddy Tommy?" He snorted. "He's as bad as the rest."

Emily's face grew dark, furious. "That's not fair. I said he was nice, I just want to hang out with him, what's wrong with that?"

Tig sneered. "Hang out? You know what happens when people hang out around Charming? They drink, and they fuck. You want to be one of those girls? Those girls those pricks disrespect because they're easy to get into bed?"

Petulant, Emily looked accusingly at her mother. "What? Did you disrespect her?"

Nina clenched her jaw in frustration, this conversation was not about to happen. "That's enough, Emily," she said firmly. Emily scowled at her, a sneer on her face.

"What's the difference between you and me?" she demanded. "You fucked around between the two of them. Don't think I don't remember, Tash might not know but I do. I know what you did." Her nostrils flared as she looked at Tig. "At least I only fancy one of them."

If Nina had been feeling bad before, she felt much worse at that. She coloured and folded the newspaper shut quickly. Tig's face fell, the unintentional sting of Emily's accusation grinding against him. "Yeah, well that bullshit's done with. Your Mom made her choices." He stared over at Nina possessively but Emily snorted.

"Yeah, you made that really clear yesterday with your macho ownership crap in front of everyone." She rolled her eyes dramatically and looked exasperatedly at her mother. "He never treats you like that in Belfast, parading you around, all that ugly showing off. What's different here?" Nina didn't speak and Emily pushed harder, seeing she was about to win. "Is it Chibs?"

"That's enough," Tig exploded, outraged at the mere suggestion. "You don't talk about him in this house like that, understood? That shit between them is done. Right?" He didn't feel so convinced as he said it and he looked at Nina. "Right?"

God, it was like all of her internal conflict had been thrown out on the table. Nina nodded shyly, but then more assuredly. "Yes, of course it is," she said. There was a dangerous look in his eye and she said it more assertively the second time. "We're done, Alex, you know that. I love you." She smiled as she took his hand, trying to convince him and Tig grinned as he yanked her to him.

"Course you do. Because you're mine." He pressed some enthusiastic wet kisses on her cheek before eyeing Emily. "No Thomas," he repeated, firmer now as he picked up his gun subconsciously. "Don't worry, I'll make sure he doesn't bother you again."

Emily squealed in frustration and stomped out, fully intending on ignoring them as she marched outside. Tig rolled his eyes and pushed his lips to Nina's.

"Were you ever that annoying?" he groaned. She smiled at that.

"I'd talk to my Daddy," she suggested. There was a hint of sadness in her eyes and Tig sighed as he tickled her chin.

"Ignore that bullshit. About the past," he said encouragingly. "You and me, we're king and queen of the goddamn IRA, baby, we don't need any of that history, right?"

There was a strange nervousness in his tone, an unsettled look in his expression that Nina could feel disturbing dark, suppressed emotions in her stomach. She nodded slowly, how was he scaring her? For a long time, he had made her feel like this after their first night at the club but she hadn't felt it in way too many years. "Just you and me," she murmured, nodding. He had taught her that chant, it was what he had used to soothe her for the first few months of their trip back to Belfast. Tig smiled as he heard her say it, and nuzzled her nose gently.

"That's my girl," he nodded, kissing her forehead. He tugged her up to stand and crushed her to him, holding her tight. "Now let me take you upstairs and show you some of that grade A Trager lovin', huh?"

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><p>"What are they doing?"<p>

Gemma looked up from her desk chair to see half a dozen of the Sons crowded around a lube job that definitely only needed one of them. Sully leaned on the back of couch as he stared out the window at them, wishing desperately he could be out on the lot with the older men.

"They're working on something, baby," she said, waving to them. "You want to go and look?" He nodded and she abandoned her work, taking his hand as she led him outside. Abel spotted her and punched Thomas in the arm, who glanced up quickly.

"Hey Grandma." He nudged Juice to call him away, and Quinn dropped back before Gemma barked at the lot of them to get back to work. "What's up?"

Gemma peered past him, trying to look at what they were all staring at. She clicked her tongue as she spotted the sight of Happy, leaning over the inside of a Jeep as he chatted away with Natasha as she perched against the side of it in a pretty little gypsy skirt and spaghetti strap top. The two simply couldn't stop talking, nobody had ever seen Happy looking so animated before.

"If this is your idea of entertainment, you boys need to get laid," she said, giving Juice a slap across the back of the head. "Chibs know?"

"He's out," Thomas shrugged. "Sorry, Grandma, we just got distracted."

Gemma huffed as she cupped his face in her hands and shook her head, kissing his nose. "I know, baby. Those girls are distractions, you don't want anything ruining your focus, okay? Need you razor sharp, all the time." Thomas blushed as he waited for her to release him, Gemma was always way too affectionate for his liking.

"They're not so bad," he said, trying to assert himself with her. "Nice to have some new friends. Like us, you know? Knowing the club life?"

Gemma flared her nostrils. Nina Padilla's girls were nothing like her boys, she'd be damned if they considered themselves regular members of Charming. "They haven't been here, Thomas, they're different." She could see the hope in his eyes dissipating. "And they aren't here for long." Seeing that he wasn't convinced, she added, "Just think how torn up your Prez was when they all left. You don't want that."

Thomas was disappointed. It wasn't hard to remember how much their leaving had affected Chibs, he had been a mess. He rubbed his hand over the back of his head. "Yeah, I guess." He looked over at Natasha to see Happy had tugged up his shirt to show her the smiley faces on his torso. Her finger traced over them, it was impossible to ignore the hypnotised look on her face. "Shame, though. I like Emmy."

Gemma smiled. He had the same hopeless look in his eyes as she had seen too many times in Chibs' face. "She's just another girl, baby. You'll find a better one."

She walked off and returned to the office. Looking back, she could see Thomas kicking at the floor in disappointment. Gemma pulled a face, she was only trying to protect him, just she had tried to push Tara away for so long. After a moment, she sighed and picked up her phone.

"Gem?"

"Hey, Chibby." She smiled, hoping to keep her tone light. "You got a minute?"

"I can give you two." If Chibs admitted he was camped out down the street from Tig's place, watching for signs of life, Gemma would have probably killed him.

"I'm just thinking about Thomas." Gemma wound the phone cord on her fingertip. "I know it's not my place, but I know his patch review's coming up. Jax and Tara, they need some help stabilising shit with Sully, I know Jax needs to ease back a little and wondered if it was worth bumping Thomas' forward?"

It was a feeble excuse but, lucky for Gemma, Chibs was barely listening. He watched, distracted, as Tig stalked out of the house towards his bike. If he was going out, Chibs didn't have long to go and plead his case with Nina. He had been awake all night, planning his impassioned speech.

"Sure, Gem," he murmured distractedly. "Tell Bobby, I'll get it sorted at church."

Before she could say anything else, he hung up as he saw Tig shoot away. He was probably off for cigarettes, Tig's post-coital ritual never changed. Waiting for him to turn off the street, Chibs drove down and pulled up nervously. He glanced around, worried that someone might be watching him, but knocked anyway. It took less than a second for the door to be yanked back.

"Forget something?" Nina pulled the door open with a glint in her eye but it disappeared the second she saw him. Shaking her head, she pushed the door to lock it but Chibs stopped it with his foot.

"Nina-"

She looked at him with some sort of panic. "You can't be here." She was shivering as she said it, Chibs could see a fresh new set of bite marks on her throat from Tig's animalistic deviances. "I'm sorry."

"Aye, me too," Chibs frowned, sending how off she seemed. "Can't I at least have a cup of coffee?"

Nina didn't budge. "You don't understand. I can't." He could see it wasn't totally her choice, Tig had scared something into her. "I promised him, Filip. I promised to make it work. This isn't fair."

"Kissing me last night, _that_ wasn't fair," Chibs growled, frustrated. "Please."

"I made a mistake." There was fear in her voice as she said it, like Tig might be listening. "You've made enough in your time, you can forgive me this one. Let it go." Chibs shook his head.

"Never." His eyes were serious as he gazed at her and Nina felt herself weakening, her resolve breaking under his focus. She fiddled with the ring on her finger before she found some strength and raised it.

"Things changed." She was trying to be resolute. "Now I'm sorry if I fucked up, but I have to live with the consequences just as much as you do. I don't want this either," she added, her eyes tearing as she looked at the expression on his face. He was looking at her like she had just kicked him in the face, repeatedly. "I fucked up, Filip. I'm sorry, I, I just-"

Any power she had had just a moment before disappeared. She was nearly hysterical as she tried to apologise again and Chibs could see that this was no longer about his wounded pride. He pushed the door and she gave in, unable to hold him back as he powered into the house and closed the door on the prying eyes of the neighbours. He wrapped his arms around her as she started to cry softly, burying her head in his chest.

"Nina, shite," he mumbled awkwardly, mortified at making her cry. "I didn't-"

"It's me," she said, shaking her head and trying to hold it back. "It's me, it's always been me, getting it wrong, thinking I finally understand." She whimpered as he pulled her tighter to him. "I always think I've got a handle and nothing's going to change. That there's no choice left, that I should-"

"Settle." He swallowed. Christ, she didn't want to be with Tig, she still didn't want it.

"I made the best of my situation," she murmured guiltily. "And maybe it's not fair but now I have to deal with that decision." She started to panic, her breathing quickening. "You shouldn't be here, he wouldn't like it. You should go, I need you to go. He'll be an hour, and then he'll be here. He'll know, Filip, you need to-" She gave him a half-hearted push towards the door before crumbling into him again.

Chibs could feel his heart aching as he looked at her as he tried to soothe her, stroking her back. "Life, this life, it's not set in stone like that, that's not how it works. It's not finite." He could see she didn't know what to do, he needed to shock her into some sort of reaction. Right now, she seemed to just be… numb. Scooping her face up in his hands, he pushed a kiss onto her lips. Fully expecting a slap, he stepped back and waited for it, closing his eyes but what he got was something different. Nina's mouth was up against his, urgent, hungry, exploring his tongue as she embraced him. Her arms snaked up around his neck, tugging him down to kiss her deeper, and Chibs groaned as he lifted her. Her legs clamped around his waist fiercely and he growled as he stumbled through the kitchen with her towards the couch.

"Jesus." He barely wanted to say a word, just in case it brought her out of the eager trance she had fallen under. He dropped her down, climbing over her, needing her. He needed to show her, to remind her, that she was his, that she was free to make that choice. He tugged at her robe, pulling it apart and exposing her bare body beneath it. Chibs couldn't suppress the moan that bubbled up through his body as he struggled with the buckle on his pants, needing to undo it faster than would ever be possible. Giving up, he breathed in and shoved the damn things down, simply needing to get inside her.

Nina's lips were frantic as her tongue writhed with his, giving herself over to him with every little part of her. Chibs, he knew how to love her, she was sure of that. She whimpered as his fingers slipped between them, circling her clit and making her twist beneath his hands. It didn't matter that Tig had just had her, none of that mattered. She needed Chibs, and she needed him now.

A guttural noise escaped Chibs as he pushed into her, eliciting a murmur of pleasure from Nina as his erection sank into her body. It was relief, for both of them, to feel connected, and Nina closed her eyes as her lips sought his again. He moaned with longing as he pulled her hips tighter to his own, turning her to possess more of her. "Christ." It was an anxious exclamation as her legs wrapped tightly against him, choking his body as she held him as close to her as she could. Chibs was moving fast, faster than he was sure he ever had, as his fingers played with her hair and he kissed with all of the desire he was sure he had never managed to show her.

"I missed you," she whispered, her lips wet with his saliva as he kissed along her jaw and neck. Chibs groaned, he could feel the sweat from his scalp running through his hair and dripping down her forehead. It was stinging the cut on his face but he didn't care, it didn't matter, none of that mattered when she was his.

"You have no idea," he replied, his movements becoming quicker. It wasn't about pleasure, neither of them cared about that. They just needed each other, neither of them even cared how long it took but Nina needed him to take her, own her, soak her body with his own in every single way. Chibs whinnied softly as her fingertips dug into his back and he slipped off the sofa, his back thudding against the floor as he dragged her on top of him. Nina laughed, it was so good to hear her laugh, as he sat up, crunching his stomach, kissing her tenderly as he encouraged her to ride gently on him. Their bodies pressed together, the sweat drenching their torsos as they ground together to an unspeakably satisfying climax. Chibs slapped his hand against the rug as he came, arching his hips up to fill her, and he watched as Nina collapsed back against his bent knees as their rhythm eased.

"I didn't… shite." He barely had his breath back before he started to apologise. "Nina, we-"

"Don't," she said, shaking her head. "It's on me." Her fingertip dragged lazily down from his lips to his chest. "And I'm okay with that."

He smiled at her and kissed her gently before helping her back to his feet. He would have laid there all day with her, it was all he wanted, but he knew time was against him. "I love you," he mumbled shyly, nudging his nose with hers as he held her, supporting her as the blood rushed back through her body in a wave. "I'll never stop loving you, Nina. And I'm yours, and I'll wait. Don't let him hurt you." He stroked her face. "Please?"

She nodded slowly as she pressed another kiss on to his lips. "You should go," she whispered. "I'll… I'll find some reason, tonight, to come." She nodded to assure him that she meant it. Chibs nodded slowly as he pulled his clothing back up, adjusting it to make it look like nothing had happened. He sighed, wishing he didn't just have to leave but he paused at the door as Nina called his name. He stopped and was surprised to find her pushing another, eager kiss up onto him. Her fingers toyed with his collar as she whispered, "Thank you," and ushered him out.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N - There's trouble in Charming and it's not just Nina causing it this time! Thank you so much for all the follows, favourites, reads and reviews. I love them, please keep them coming! They help me shape how this is going to go!**

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><p>"Hey."<p>

Thomas grinned as he saw Emily waiting on his bike, straddling it in a low-slung pair of jeans and a corseted little top. He could see the tip of a rose rising up from her jeans, beautiful on her lightly tanned skin. He rubbed his hand over his stubble, glancing back to see if Gemma was looking.

"Didn't you get my text?" he asked, giving her the lightest kiss on the cheek as he greeted her. Emily shrugged.

"I got it." She tugged at the edge of his cut, smoothing it down with her palm. "I chose to ignore it. Figured you were just chicken."

Thomas loved feeling her hands against him. There was something about Emily's assertiveness he loved, usually the girls he slept with were the drunk, crow-eater types, needy and wanting his affection but Emily was sober and sure. "Maybe," he said, a shy smile on his face. "Just figured I wasn't your type."

"What do you know, Teller?" She tugged on his spare helmet. "Aren't you going to take me for lunch?"

It was clear Emily wasn't backing down and Thomas eased into a grin. "Yes ma'am."

He straddled the bike and couldn't stop the smile on his face as Emily slipped her arms around him, holding onto him tightly as he pulled away. They drove a few blocks away from the lot to a burger place just off Main Street, and Thomas stopped to do a theatrical bow as he helped his date off his Harley. Emily smiled as he ushered her inside and led her to a booth at the back.

"Two cheeseburgers, fries, and a strawberry milkshake for the lady," he ordered. Emily giggled as the waitress walked away.

"I haven't ordered that in about a decade," she laughed. Thomas smiled at that.

"Yeah, well you can't get a decent hamburger in Belfast, Dad said. The whole club went out there once, you know? Looking for Abel?"

Emily pursed her lips and nodded. "You've been there too. You probably don't remember, we were very young." She swallowed, Nina had once recounted the story to her to explain the frightening dreams Emily had of gunfire and Irishmen. Thomas frowned and shook his head, he didn't know it at all and leaned his hands on the table.

"Ireland? No, not me."

Emily started to interject and suddenly the door of the restaurant was thrown open. Thomas' face fell as Henry Lin rolled in with a couple of his guys behind him, looking around for the isolated Harley rider. Seeing Thomas, he laughed and shrugged away the other men as he paced over and dropped into the seat next to Emily, crushing uncomfortably close to her.

"Well look here. This your new girlfriend?" Henry smirked as he studied Emily, making no effort to hide the way he looked down her top. Emily swallowed and eyeballed Thomas nervously as he reached for her hand beneath the table.

"We're just having some lunch," Thomas said, trying to keep his cool. "That's all."

Henry ignored him as he looked at Emily. He lifted her chin with his fingertip and she snapped her head away quickly. "You're Trager's kid." Lin smiled as he realised it and Emily sneered at him dismissively. Seeing the uptight expression on her face, Lin snarled a little. "You tell your Da I want a word while he's in town."

Emily scowled. "We're not here on business," she said. Thomas squeezed her hand quickly.

"Chinese guns come through SAMCRO," he said assertively. "Meets with the Irish go the same way."

Lin smiled at him without taking his eyes from Emily. "Then you organise it," he demanded. "And make sure he brings this little cupcake to sweeten the deal." Thomas' nostrils flared, just like Jax's did when he was frustrated.

"You don't talk to her like that," he said sharply. "I'll set a meet but you don't even look at her, Lin."

Henry chuckled as he stood up. "Oh yeah, it's her Mom who's the whore, right?" He tossed some cash on the table. "Lunch is on me. Tonight, midnight, the restaurant. None of your club bullshit, I want Tig and a couple of your heavies. No Chibs," he added firmly. "Pass it on." He grinned as he leaned over and pinched Emily's cheek. "Give your mother my regards, I heard all sorts of good things in my last trip to Stockton."

He slunk out and Thomas felt the heat in his ears slowly dissipating. Jesus, Lin was an asshole at the best of times but it was unlike him to isolate and victimise a club member. He slipped out of his seat quickly and kissed Emily's temple as he relaxed her.

"I'll sort it out," he promised, stroking her hair. "Don't worry, I'll talk to your Dad, that guy won't bother you any more."

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><p>"Do you know Happy paints?"<p>

Nina was halfway through yet another cigarette as she looked up through the cloudy haze towards Natasha. Tash sat on the bed, her legs crossed as she texted away on her phone at a speed that anyone would be impressed with, and she glanced up to see whether Nina was even listening. When she saw she was, she flicked her phone aside and clambered across the mattress to sit beside her.

"He paints?"

Natasha nodded as she tucked her feet under the covers and snuggled up against her mother.

"Yeah, all this beautiful, disturbed oil stuff. He showed me on his phone." She reached for own cell and scrolled through a few texts as she pushed the thing into Nina's hand to look. Twisted, frightening-looking faces gazed up from the screen, tortured expressions in streaked, dark oils. It must have been a snapshot of Happy's soul, she was sure of it. Nina gave it back quickly.

"That's... different." She wrinkled her nose. "You been spending time with Happy?"

"He's cool." Natasha blinked at her shyly, not wanting to commit too much to the statement. "Just likes chatting, you know?"

Nina laughed, no, she didn't know. Happy barely ever chatted with anybody, he was an aggressive, strange freak of nature, only capable of softening on strange and rare occasions. "Those boys are all the same, Tash, they just want sex."

Natasha dropped her phone on the side and sat up, her arms crossed as she studied Nina carefully. "You and Da weren't like that." Nina shook her head.

"You don't get me and your Da. It's complicated."

"I know that you smell of him." Natasha's voice was a little whisper as she said it, leaning closer to share in Nina's secret. Nina turned red but Natasha waved her hand and tapped her nose, promising to keep it to herself. "You and Da are in love, I know that. He wasn't on the lot earlier, nobody knew where he was. I figured he was here instead." She smiled, playing with her mother's hair. "I won't tell, Ma."

"You just..." Nina sighed, she wished she could just lie and tell Natasha it was all rubbish but he excitement in her eyes ignited something in her. "It was just one time."

Natasha smiled, knowing what that meant. She nodded along, as if she believed Nina's story. "Sure." Nina laughed, Tash had always been too smart for her own good. "I said to Hap I might come around for dinner," Natasha ventured. "Maybe you could, I don't know, drop me off. Find something to do until you pick me up. Tig won't need to know a thing." She raised a suggestive eyebrow and Nina tilted her head to one side.

"Are you trying to bribe me?" she asked with a skeptical smirk. Natasha nodded.

"You scratch my back, Mom..." She winked. "I'm just trying to get the best thing for everyone here. And I know you need him. I'm taking one for the team," she teased, with a playful tug to Nina's earlobe. "Come on. We both want the same thing, we can make this work."

After a second, Nina nodded. She was already sure that she wanted to see Chibs, her body was already aching for him and she needed more than just the fast, quick fuck they had shared earlier. She needed an opportunity to savour him properly, and enjoy his taste in her mouth. "You and Hap. Nothing's happening?"

Natasha smiled at her sweetly. "We're just friends. He's nice to me, he asked me to come and paint with him." Nina nodded at that, for some reason that didn't surprise her. Happy was clear what he wanted, if there was something more that he was after, he probably would have said.

"Fine," she said. "But nobody knows, no Emily, no Tig."

Natasha kissed Nina's cheek. "I promise," she said softly. "I just want you to be happy, Ma, and I've never seen you happier than when Da touches you. Our secret," she winked.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N - Oh, it feels like a smutty Sunday! Enjoy!**

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><p>Chibs couldn't hide his surprise as he pulled the door open to see Nina standing on her front step. She swung a little, nervous, an innocent look in her eye as she gazed at him. Even in the darkness, her irises glowed and Chibs felt his old heart skip a beat as he motioned for her to come inside. He had convinced himself she wouldn't come, that she would have regretted their ill-thought rendezvous and never turn up, but seeing her there was the greatest treat he could ever have asked for.<p>

Unsure what to say, he fumbled with the fridge door. "Do you want a drink, love?" he asked. Christ, how did this work? Was he polite, was this like a date? Should he feel bad, or hesitant, or worried? Nina nodded and he got her a beer, smacking the lid off against the edge of the counter like he always did. Their fingers brushed against each other lightly as he handed it to her, making them both blush and look away from each other.

Chibs rubbed his fingers along his jaw for a moment. Should he ask why she was here? What the excuse was, or if Tig even knew? Maybe his questions crossed his face, Nina nibbled on the side of her finger as she murmured,

"Natasha. She, uh, she went to Hap's place. Something about painting. Dropped her off." She waved her hand and laughed. "She kind of had me over a barrel, she sussed out about us. We made one very smart little girl."

Chibs eased into a smile. "Aye, that we did. Beautiful, too." He ventured a look at her. "Like you." Nina giggled and he grinned, relaxing. "Was it too cheesy? It felt like it was."

She leaned over the table, stroking his beard. Chibs closed his eyes beneath her touch, whimpering, and held his hand to her, not wanting her to ever move away. Drawing on her gently, he tugged her closer and pressed his lips to hers. He could taste the beer on her tongue as it writhed gently against his, wanting to explore him. He was sure he would never forget her but even now, he wanted to take any opportunity he could to refamiliarise himself with her.

Pulling on her arm, he led her to his lap and sat her down on his thighs, cradling her body close to his. He wanted to snake his hand up beneath her skirt, he was desperate to feel her again but he needed to pace himself, he was already desperate to explode but he had to focus. He nuzzled her gently as he kissed her, his lips remapping their place on her mouth. Her kiss hadn't changed, maybe she was a little more reserved than she used to be, probably more accustomed to Tig's overpowering embrace, but within a moment, Chibs was finding the rhythm they had once shared with each other.

"I'll guess that's not your gun," she teased, running her hand against his erection as he pressed hard against her. Chibs groaned instinctively at her touch, lifting himself against her, and Nina murmured as she stroked him beneath her palm as he kissed her again.

"I'd watch the trigger, though," he chuckled as she tickled beneath his head with her thumb. "Kind of dodgy."

"Old age," she teased, pulling at his hair playfully as she licked her tongue against his lips. Chibs grinned, giving her ass a gentle slap as he ground up against her.

"Now now," he murmured with mock disapproval as he buried his nose between her breasts and kissed gently over her skin, soft and careful not to leave even the slightest mark on her. "I could teach you a thing or two, whippersnapper, that's for sure."

It was impossible to deny how happy they were in each other's company. It was as if she had never left, she fitted just right in his arms as their mouths worked together in rhythm, overcoming their shy nervousness of each other to be able to please one another with just their embraces. Chibs was sure he had never been harder for her as he took to his feet and walked with her, their lips never parting, to lock the front door and drag her upstairs.

"Make love to me," Nina whispered as he led her into his bedroom. It was a timid, fearful request and Chibs nodded slowly as he cuddled her close to him, fitting her perfectly in against his body. His fingertips worked their way gently down the back of her top, tugging open the chiffon bow behind her neck like a Christmas present. He could feel his hands shaking as he pulled the zip away and the top fell away from her. Chibs felt the breath catch in his throat as his eyes roamed over her neck, her breasts, her torso. Their fuck had been so impassioned before, he had barely had a moment to look at her but now, as he undressed her, he felt like he had all the time in the world to enjoy her. He could see the little scar on her stomach from the night she had been shot at the brothel, her body was marked with nicks and scratches from too many fights. As his hands ran down her shoulder blades, he could feel the reaper, still burned into her back after all these years.

Her thumbs moved to his button down now, slipping each little lock away quickly as she undressed him. Her fingers brushed the silver hairs on his chest and Chibs smiled as she buried her nose in them, breathing them in, letting them tickle her skin as she moved down his body. She was almost on her knees as she pulled open the last one, and she looked up at him, her hands resting on his belt buckle. Chibs ran his hand along her jaw as she pulled at it, and his eyes rolled back as he felt her touch him, even just inadvertently as she eased his dark jeans down to his ankles. She pressed her face to his erection, her lips ghosting against his boxers as she blew hot air against him, making Chibs moan at the sensation.

"You're too good to be down there," he managed, lifting her to her feet and carrying her to the bed. He kissed her as he eased her onto her back, his hand running along her leg as he pushed her skirt up around her waist. He wanted her naked, he wanted to see her whole body stretched out before him but he wasn't sure he would be able to wait to get all of her clothes off before he devoured her. He needed her, he needed his fill of her.

Crawling over her, he couldn't help but grind up against her and Nina murmured contently as she felt him rubbing against her clit, teasing both of them through the barrier of clothing between them. Her hands pushed his boxers away, freeing him as she wrapped her palm around him and ran her hand up and down to feel him. Her thumb teased that sensitive spot just at the top of his shaft and Chibs growled hungrily, unable to control himself. He hooked his fingers into her underwear and pulled it to her ankles in one swift move as he pressed against her, nudging her legs apart with his own as he pushed into her.

She gasped as she felt him sinking in, their flesh connecting. Her body was wet, wet for him, and Chibs could feel himself slipping into her with ease. His hands worked over her breasts, caressing her and playing with her nipples as he buried his nose in the crook of her neck, finding solace in the most secret parts of her body all at the same time. Nina winced as she expected some sort of pain from his embrace but she murmured with pleasure as his hands wound around her, settling on her lower back as he continued to kiss and caress her.

To Chibs, there was no greater sight. Her dark hair spread across his pillow filled him with a sense of fulfilment, seeing her content in his company would let him die a happy man. He rolled onto his side, his hand clamped to her body as he turned her too, and their legs tangled together as their hips rocked in perfect sync, both eager to fulfil the other. Nina's arms wound around his neck, teasing and toying with his hair as she never paused for breath as she kissed him.

"That's it, love." Chibs stretched her arms gently above her, elongating her body as his hand ran along her. Her shoulders gave way to the curve of her breasts, he would stay there forever if he could. Tugging her hips even tighter to his, he turned, mastering her lower half with his own as he started to move faster, eager to please her. He could feel the tension building within her, she was hot and tight and throbbing around him as his cock slipped back and forth within her, desperate to orgasm from the stimulation. "I want to feel you cum."

There was something about the way he said it. Maybe it was his need to enjoy her pleasure too, maybe it was the way he said the words themselves, but he was pushing Nina to the edge. Her fingernails clasped at his back, not to hurt him but to steady herself as she felt her body shivering with the need to cum. Chibs grinned as he saw that look in her eyes, the one that she was never able to suppress. She looked like a true temptress as she gazed at him through half-open lids, her lips parted as she tried to find a way to breathe.

Chibs felt himself pale as all of the blood in his body rushed to his hips, he was aching to release. He was already sore but he wouldn't, he didn't want to, not until she was satisfied. He closed his eyes as he pressed his mouth against Nina's. As his tongue curled against hers, she whimpered, her body unable to hold back any more. The rush of heat and liquid, the feeling of her pussy clamping tight around him as she orgasmed made Chibs cry out as he released inside of her. Christ, how did she do that? He was sure he was draining inside of her, his whole body spent as he came, and his sweat-drenched skin pressed up against hers as he wound his arms around her and pulled her tight. Their lips sought each other, both needing that assurance, and Chibs whimpered as he felt his whole body give over to her.

"Jesus." Nina buried her head in the pillow for a moment to wipe away the slick beads of sweat. "How the... fuck." Chibs laughed at her inability to string together a compete sentence and he squeezed her, showering her skin with kisses as he did. Nina giggled at him, batting him away. She tried to pull back from him but Chibs held on.

"Don't. Please," he pleaded. "Not yet." Not ever, he hoped, he wanted to stay like this forever. Blissful, he realised, and at peace, with himself and his life and his world. Maybe she felt it too, he didn't know, but he didn't want the sensations within him to ever, ever stop.

"We can't just lie here," Nina murmured, her lips brushing his chest as she spoke. Chibs ran his fingertips along her spine, their hips still locked together.

"Yes we can," he said, totally in denial about the whole thing. "We can just... forget the world. Forget everything else. We can just... be." The idea excited him and he twitched inside her. Nina giggled at the sensation as she relaxed on her back and Chibs hovered over her eagerly. "Come on, let's just forget them all. Run away. We could be happy."

There was an earnestness in his expression that made Nina fall in love with him all over again. Her hand caressed his face, her thumb running over the scar on his cheek just as Chibs' did traced the exact same line on her own, and she sighed. They could be happy, in another world, another life.

"I love you," she whispered. "But we both know it's not that simple."

"We can make it that simple," Chibs said as he let himself drop against her and roll onto her side, finally pulling out of her. They both smiled at the sound of their mutual slickness between them as he settled against her. "You don't have to be with him."

Nina shook her head slowly. "Let's not talk about him."

"But it's true," Chibs insisted, finding her hand and squeezing it. "It'll be hard, for a little while, but he'll get over it. He has to understand." She turned to get up. "Nina, we're made for each other."

She nodded slowly, she knew that but Tig would never see it that way. She had promised herself to him, that was all he would ever accept. "I know, but it's not that simple. Please, Filip." She pulled his arm around her like a blanket, his body hot against her back. "Leave it, for now. I'll tell him, when the time is right."

Chibs nodded, sure that she would. "Good," he whispered, his lips tickling the back of her neck as he held her and felt her heartbeat slipping into a more regular rhythm beneath his palm. "That would be really, really good."


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N - Lin's a real stirrer, he's about to set a nasty series of events into play... Enjoy! X**

Tig was outraged as he hurled himself towards Lin in a rage. "Who the fuck do you think you are, trying to scare my little girl, huh?" He had just managed to slam his palms against Lin's chest when he was shoved back, and Lin laughed as he dusted off his hands as if it was no big deal. Tig snarled furiously as Jax and Juice tried to calm him down.

"I guess she got the good genes from her Mom," Henry laughed. "How is she? Still turning tricks for cash?"

Tig would have done anything in that moment to punch the living daylights out of Lin. Jax managed to catch his fist and hold him still, trying to relax him into being able to hold some sort of conversation. "None of that," Juice said, his beady eyes glaring at Henry. "We got business or are you wasting everyone's time?"

Lin smiled. "Oh, we have business." He motioned for them to sit, and, hesitantly, Jax and Juice pressured Tig to take the seat. Tig's lip twitched into a growl as he sat and Henry smiled tightly. "Head of the IRA consort, right? You landed on your feet."

Tig crossed his arms as he looked casually around at his brothers beside him. "If it weren't for the fact you knew me, we wouldn't be talking," he muttered. "Business between the Chinese and my... organisation? It goes through SAMCRO." He leaned on the table as he added, "You know that."

"We want to up our business," Lin said with a cool smile. "SAMCRO have been talking about stepping back on street hardware, we want to look at taking that place."

Juice's eyes narrowed. "Then you should be talking to Chibs." Lin laughed and rolled his eyes as he glanced at Tig.

"I imagine your Prez has his hands full. Ex in town, he's probably getting his fill of Mexi pussy until next time?" Tig roared as he started to leap over the table but Jax yanked him back into his place. Henry grinned, pleased to be able to cause such chaos with so few words. Tig had always been volatile, he was like a firecracker, liable to go off at any second. It was he was such fun to goad. "Spent a couple of months in Stockton while you were away, Trager. Small time stuff, but that shit with your missus goes down as legend in there."

"You mention her one more time, you yellow-faced prick-" Tig threatened, trying to keep it together. Usually he was fine, but after Emily's little taunts all morning, he was feeling sensitive. He narrowed his eyes and Henry eased up a little, it was just too easy. He wanted to focus on business.

"Is your club serious? About backing down on guns?"

Jax glanced at Juice. It had been discussed a couple of times but no resolution had ever been reached, everybody knew that guns meant money and street power. "It's a club conversation," Jax finally said authoritatively. "I'll talk to the table."

Lin smiled and nodded. "You do that." He lifted his chin towards Tig. "And we can go from there." Tig bristled and Lin itched at the little bit of stubble growing along his jaw. "Your girl, maybe have her watch her lip, hmm? That Teller boy can come back at me but I won't take it from her again."

Tig's eyes narrowed. Emily would get a verbal beat down when he got in for defying him, that was for sure, but Lin didn't need to know that. "You afraid of smart women talking to you, Henry?" Lin snorted.

"I got other ways of repurposing mouths, if you want to keep up the family trade."

Jax held onto Tig and pulled at him. "Come on, he's baiting you, don't fall for that shit." He gave him a tug. "Let's get back to the club."

Tig's eyes narrowed as he got to his feet, Lin certainly wasn't exactly winning him around with his constant ridicule. He hissed as he shoved Jax's off him and stormed out towards his bike before he lit a cigarette and huffed his way through half of it in an instant. When Jax finally caught up with him, he received a rough thump in the chest.

"When were you cunts gonna tell me about winding down on the guns?" Tig demanded angrily. Juice shook his head.

"We're not, it's the same conversation we've been having for years, man. Nothing set in stone, just more ways for legitimate business." His eyes were wide, high on energy and adrenaline. "Seriously, nobody's really considered it, it's just chat."

"It better be."

The look in Tig's eyes was dangerous, he looked furious. He got on his bike and backed it out without waiting for the others, shooting out at a dangerous speed into oncoming traffic as he raced back to the house. He growled as he saw Nina's car out front, at least she was at home, out of Chibs' way. The idea that the SAMCRO president was even thinking of her sat awkwardly on Tig's shoulders and he slammed the door back as he came in, making Nina jump.

"Christ, what's happened?" she asked quickly. Oh God, he knew, she was already sure that he knew and she could feel her whole body growing weak. She had drank most of a bottle of wine in preparation for his return, she wanted to tell him more than anything but Nina was convinced that someone had already got to him.

"Come here." It wasn't so much a question as a demand. Natasha shrank back in her seat, watching fearfully as Nina got up and crossed to him. Tig threw his arm around her roughly and dragged her body against him, pushing rough, greedy kisses into her face. "You're mine, you are, you know that?" Nina started to stammer an answer but Tig shoved his mouth on hers and bit her lower lip, making her cry out as his teeth cut into her, making her bleed. Nina pulled back but Tig held her fiercely, his hands grabbing her ass as he turned her and pressed her against the wall, pinning her back.

"Alex!" Nina pressed her hand against his chest to ease him back, panic consuming her as he caged her. Tig was intent on owning her, Henry Lin was full of shit but he had managed to get into Tig's head with his taunts. He slobbered along Nina's neck as his hands pushed up beneath her top, no thought for Natasha sitting at the table. "Alex, stop it, Tash is-"

He stilled and turned, his eyes like ice as he glared at Natasha. "Go to your room." Natasha looked at her mother, unsure, and Nina nodded slowly as she wiped Tig's saliva from her mouth. She felt sick, something was off and she knew she was about to take the brunt of it. She certainly wasn't about to let Natasha get in the middle.

"Go," she mouthed. Natasha swallowed but got up as commanded, closing the door as she went out. Before Nina even managed a word, Tig was grabbing at her, pulling her clothes off in a furious bid to have her. "Slow down," she whispered, trying to find something within him to cool him. Her palm stroked along his arm up to his hair, looking for the man inside the monster in front of her. "Alex, please, you're hurting me."

"This isn't about you."

His voice was almost robotic as he shoved his pants down just enough to expose himself and tore at her underwear, desperate to get inside of her. His hands were rough as he pinned her back, not letting her free as he lifted her leg and shoved into her roughly, growling like an animal in heat as he buried himself in her body. Nina closed her eyes, wishing it all away, what the hell was happening? She tried to press him back but Tig was in a fury, his fingers sinking into her hips and bruising her as he held her tight in place.

"Tig, come on," she whimpered as she felt his nails digging into her to get a better grip. She pushed one hand away and wiped over the skin to see streaks of blood on her fingertips from his violent hold. Her eyes widened as she looked at him with wild eyes. "Jesus, what is wrong with you?"

He backhanded her furiously, irate at her refusal. "What the fuck is wrong with you? You're my wife, and I fucking own you, you got that?" Nina bit back the overpowering desire to burst into tears as Tig draped her arm around his neck and held it in place as he held her tighter to the wall, needing to have her. He didn't care that she could barely even look at him as he moved, all he needed to know was that he could make her his.

The sound of keys in the door made Tig slow and he craned his neck as Emily walked in. His lip twitched and he dragged himself out of Nina roughly, yanking up his pants as he did and turned his back on her. Emily shielded her eyes from the sight of them in the kitchen.

"Jesus, I am literally begging you people to stop doing that on surfaces I make food on," Emily groaned with her usual mock annoyance. Nina took Tig's moment of distraction to pelt out of the room and race upstairs, hurling herself in the bathroom and locking the door as she burst into tears. Emily frowned as she watched her go before Tig was suddenly looming over her, furious.

"I told you to stay away from Thomas," he roared, his tall form overwhelming Emily's instantly. Emily swallowed and looked up at her father, seeing something dark and frightening in his eyes.

"We went for lunch."

"You fucked around with club business!" he cursed. Emily froze, she was sure she hadn't seen him this angry in a long, long time. "I told you to do one fucking thing, Emily. You know what you've done? You've caused shit, because what? You want to go fuck that little Teller boy?" He shook his head and snatched her bag from her before shoving her out onto the porch with nothing but the clothes she wore. "You go running to him then, see if he takes care of you like I do. Because he won't, one little bit of fucking skirt comes along and he'll go chasing after it, you just watch. But you think you know better? Good fucking luck."

Before Emily could even manage a word, he slammed the door shut in her face and groaned as he leaned his head against the door, panting. Shit, how had everything turned into such a mess in such a short space of time? He looked at his hands, he could see blood and skin beneath his nails and he let out a long breath as he tried to gather himself. He was in a frenzy, but as he slowly started to calm, he realised what he had done.

"Jesus Christ." He groaned as he rolled his eyes back in his head and stretched his neck. Nina would be pissed, but he just needed her. There was something about Charming that made him so insecure, in Belfast he was like a goddamn god, but here, here he was just another member of the club and his control would never reach as far.

He heard the shower stop and he looked upstairs towards the bathroom but Nina didn't come out. He sighed, he could go and try and comfort her but somehow he knew it wouldn't work. Maybe he should get her flowers or some shit, she liked that. He would do that in the morning.

Kicking off his boots, he snatched up a beer and threw himself down on the couch. His hand arched over his head, he rubbed his eyes and moaned out loud, annoyed about the whole damn situation. He'd spend his night on the sofa, she'd be calmer in the morning and he could make everything better.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N - Thank you so much for all the feedback on the last couple of chapters, they have been remarkably natural to write which has made them really great to work with, so I am glad you enjoyed them! Here's some more - enjoy!**

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><p>To say that Nina had a sleepless night was an understatement. Once Natasha finally convinced her to lie down - with the help of a couple of Valium crushed into a glass of water - she lay staring at the ceiling, her whole body feeling like it was somebody else's. She was bruised and her insides hurt, Tig was always too rough but that had been something different, something so unwelcome and out of control.<p>

The idea made her cold. She had come full circle, they were right back where they started. Was this how life was? It always came back to the beginning? She hated the thought, knowing that her return to Charming had invoked those same dark behaviours in Tig made her regret ever considering coming back. They had muddled through in Belfast, just the two of them, but now...

She should never have returned. She had always known that seeing Chibs would create all sorts of problems for her, but she had never even imagined how it would set Tig on such a destructive path. She whimpered to herself as she closed her eyes, her body was aching, that same dull throb that had overcome her too many times before. She laughed at herself, a manic, hysterical giggle that bubbled up from her stomach and made Natasha jump. If she had lived a normal life, she would have been considered unlucky. Being Nero's daughter, a club old lady, made the abuse just par for the course.

Natasha stroked her hair softly as she shivered on the bed. The girl's head was thumping, she should never have left, even on Nina's insistence. Nothing was worth that pained look on the woman's face as she lay there with a tortured expression of self-loathing. It was clear Nina blamed herself through and through, but Natasha was fighting the same demon.

"I am so sorry," she whispered, nuzzling her mother affectionately. "I should never have left, I didn't know what he would do."

"You shouldn't know," Nina murmured, her eyes glazed over as she stared up at the light. "He should never-" She couldn't finish the sentence. Nobody should ever. The thought that someone might hurt her daughter, turn on her and attack her like that filled Nina with dread.

Natasha swallowed as she cradled her mother's head on her lap. "Let me call Da," she said gently, playing with her hair but Nina sat bolt upright, shaking her head.

"No, absolutely not." Tash eased her to lie down again but she was resistant. "Your Da can't know, Natasha, please. I don't... I don't want him to know."

The conflict was all over her face and Natasha winced. It would be hard to explain away the bruises on Nina's face and body, the torn skin on her hips could only be from one thing. Natasha took a deep breath as she tried to make Nina see some sense. "Ma, he raped you."

"No, it was... It's fine," Nina said, stumbling over the words. She didn't want to think of it like that, she stammered for an excuse. "He just... I wasn't expecting it, that's all."

Natasha's face grew dark. "Are you serious?" she demanded, crossing her arms. "Would you let me or Em say that? You know what he did, he hurt you and you didn't want that. You have to tell someone."

Nina shook her head, chuckling to herself. "Who am I going to tell, Tash? The cops? Galen? It's not what we do." She touched the tip of her finger to Natasha's nose. "I'm an old lady, this is just what happens sometimes. I got a lot worse secrets up here, baby." She tapped her finger to her temple now and Natasha could see the conflict within her. It wasn't right, to keep it all locked up like this, but it was just what they did. "I don't want to upset your Da over something like this, best we don't tell him, okay?" Natasha hesitated. "Okay?"

Finally, Natasha nodded. "Aye, okay." She crossed her fingers behind her back as she said it and kissed Nina's cheek as she tried to get her to relax back on the bed again. "We can work something out in the morning."

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><p>Emily almost fell flat on her face as she tripped into the clubhouse in her eagerness to get inside. Charming wasn't the town she remembered as a little girl, and walking from Tig's place to the club took a lot longer than the five-minute ride she was used to in the car. In the dark, on her own, she hated it. Her hair was windswept now and she could feel little droplets of sweat beading on her scalp as she stumbled into the club, but a hang-around shoved a beer into her hands quickly.<p>

"Drink that, you'll feel better." He gave her a nod and she slipped past him into the club to see Chibs leaning against the bar, enjoying a drink alone with a private smile while Juice and Abel were in the middle of a scuffle in the centre of the room. Emily's eyes dashed around quickly and she clocked Thomas, sitting with Rat, comparing tattoos and smoking.

Emily tried to straighten herself out as she walked over, shaking her hair out beneath her hand as she strode to join them. She needed to be confident, nobody liked a pushover. Squaring up in front of Thomas, she smiled and ran her fingertip over his ink.

"So does everyone have a reaper?"

Rat nodded, pursing his lips as he knocked Thomas' shoulder with his own. "Just saying he's jinxed himself. Shouldn't get your reaper until you're patched in."

"This club's in my blood," Thomas said jovially, giving him a thump back. "I don't need leather to prove that, I'd do anything for SAMCRO." Rat nodded, impressed with his commitment, and looked at Emily for a moment before ducking out the way. Thomas waited for him to leave before taking Emily's hand in his own. "Look at you, trouble. Your Dad know you're here?"

Emily shrugged. "He kicked me out. Didn't like me hanging around with you." She rolled her eyes, like Tig was crazy. "He's such a pussy. It's like he's scared of you or something."

Thomas raised an eyebrow as he got up, grabbed a couple more beers from the bar and handed one to Emily. "Was he pissed?" He glanced up as he saw Chibs listening in and explained, "Tig lost his shit with her."

Chibs bristled as he heard it. Fuck, did Tig know? He tried to keep his cool as he pressed for further information. "Aye?" he asked reservedly. "And what over?"

"He's a controlling lunatic," Emily groaned, shaking her head. "You know that, he's insane. Trying to stop me spending time here, going out with Tommy. Whatever." She shrugged, taking a sip of her beer. "He's like a teenager. You should have seen him with Mom at the house, he was slobbering all over her like a dog, it was gross. He's probably pissed I interrupted them." She scoffed and Thomas laughed. "I swear, that asshole needs castrating, maybe it'll calm him down. You shouldn't have sex once you're past, like, forty anyway."

Thomas dropped his arm around her shoulders and led her away from the bar towards the couch, leaving Chibs thoroughly frustrated at the thought of Tig with Nina. He watched as Emily slipped into the space beside Thomas, cuddling close to him.

"So where are you going to stay?" Thomas asked, trying to play it cool. He was itching to offer his place to her, but he couldn't just come out with that. Emily raised an eyebrow.

"I don't know, I can book a hotel or something. Maybe stay on Chibs' couch, he probably won't care. Unless he hooks up," she added with a nervous laugh. Thomas grinned.

"Prez never hooks up. Old bachelor," he joked. "Still hung up on your Mom, my Dad says." Emily snorted but he shook his head. "I'm serious, apparently he's, like, obsessed with her." He lowered his voice as he murmured, "You know he killed his ex for her? And four guys who worked at Stockton?"

Stockton, that place just kept coming up. Emily frowned, looking at Chibs for a long moment. Nobody had ever told her that story, even though she could no longer count the number of times she had tried to get someone to tell her. "Yeah, well, my Daddy would have done it too, don't worry," she said, shrugging it off. "They're weird but they love each other."

Thomas nodded, knowing better than to interfere. "I guess Tig's just like that. Your Dad's just trying to take care of you, you know." He rubbed his thumb over her lips. "He was one of us once. Club guys, we're all bad news."

Emily wrinkled her nose a little as she bit the pad of his thumb, nipping it playfully. "And who says I'm such a good girl, hey?" Thomas laughed.

"That's true." He nuzzled his nose against hers before moving in for a kiss, gentle. His hand moved along her cheek and to her jaw, guiding her to his embrace. Emily murmured contently into his mouth, enjoying the defiance as Thomas tasted her on his lips. There was whisky on his tongue, that and cigarette smoke, and Emily purred as she melted beneath his touch. "You should stay with me tonight," he offered, stroking her thigh and twirling her hair between his fingertips. "No funny business, just a bed, coffee and toast in the morning."

Emily pulled a face, looking disappointed. "No funny business at all?" she frowned. Thomas broke into a grin and winked at her, tugging her to her feet.

"We'll see," he teased, pulling her gently towards the front door. "Let's see how it goes."


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N - Oh my gosh, last night was an emotional heartbreaker. But glad Sutter sees order like I do for SAMCRO! ;-) Three different mornings for our three heroines - enjoy!**

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><p>Natasha was hesitant about leaving the house at all the next day but Nina seemed to be a semi-conscious state of deep sleep that comforted her enough to let her go. She dressed quietly and slipped down through the kitchen, pausing only for a moment to see Tig spread eagled on the couch, his face buried in a pillow and half a dozen empty beer bottles on the floor beside him.<p>

Slipping out, she took the short fifteen minute walk over towards Happy's place. Even though it was still early, Happy was up, out in the front yard with a canvas up against the wall. He was spraying over to set it, another freakish figure bawling his eyes out as his face seemed to melt into oblivion. Natasha looked at it for a moment, her arms crossed, feeling unsettled and Happy smiled proudly.

"I call it 'At Peace'," he said, standing back as he examined it. When she didn't respond, he pressed a kiss onto the top of her head. "You want a beer?"

"It's nine a.m.," Natasha murmured, glancing up at him. Happy paused for a moment.

"Whisky then?"

He could see something was off. Natasha swayed on her feet a little and he took her hand, leading her over to the front porch. He pressed her to sit on the top step before allowing himself to do the same, and he looped his arm around her shoulders as he tugged her towards him.

"Something wrong?" he asked. Normally, Happy wouldn't care. Happy rarely cared about anything except the club, his bike and his growing collection of anatomical parts he had in a box in the garage. Natasha Padilla, however, had stirred something in him. It was more intrigue than any sort of infatuation, like he could finally enjoy studying and understanding another person at his own leisure. Natasha leaned her head on his shoulder for a moment, a moral quandary overtaking her.

"I don't get this life," she said, staring out towards the street. "You don't even pretend you're good guys sometimes. You lie, and you steal, and you hurt people, just because you can. Drink and smack your women around, like it's okay. Like it's normal." She shook her head. "It's not okay, to do the shit you do."

If Happy was hurt by her comments, he kept his silence. His face was stony as she continued.

"And Jesus, when you guys want something? You just take it, it doesn't matter who you're with or what it is. All you think is that it's yours."

She was beginning to shiver as she said it, and Happy rested a hand on her carefully. "Did someone hurt you?" When she didn't answer, his jaw clenched and his eyes sparkled with the desire to destroy someone. "What happened?"

"Just shit with Mom and Tig." She could feel Happy becoming prickly beside her, and she questioned herself as she debated whether to continue. Looking at him, she leaned her elbows on her knees and murmured, "You've always liked my Mom, right?"

Happy nodded slowly. "She's special." Natasha sighed.

"Wish everyone felt that way." She looked through her bag and pulled out a lighter, reaching up to take the unlit cigarette from behind Happy's ear. She needed this, maybe she should have accepted that damn drink. "Tig came in last night, furious about something. Knocked her around a bit." She swallowed as she felt Happy growing still next to her. "I just hate the way he thinks he owns her, can have what he wants from her even if she doesn't want it."

"She didn't want it?"

Natasha ignored him as she continued talking. "And then I've got my Mom pretending it's all okay. Covering for him, saying she just wasn't expecting it. Wasn't expecting it. Like if he shouted 'surprise' first it wouldn't be rape." She was shaking her head as she spoke, getting more agitated as she talked. "I heard the way he talked to her, like she was a possession. Like he owned her. And the bruises on her, shit, I've not seen anything like that before."

Happy didn't want to correct her. As a child, she had seen much, much worse but it was clear she didn't remember that. "He forced himself on her?" His tone was unsettling, Nina had been through too much of that before, a good chunk of it at Tig's own hand. The thought that she suffered the same now gnawed at him.

"Not that she'll admit it now. She'll defend him, like she always does." Natasha sucked on the cigarette, normally it was just a prop but right now, she needed it to calm her nerves. "He only stopped because Emmy came home, I don't even want to think..."

She stopped as she suddenly felt Happy push his mouth to her cheek. His lips just caught the corner of hers and Natasha fell silent as she clasped her hand to his face, leaning her forehead to his. Whatever it was didn't matter, Happy felt the instinctive need to protect her in his own way. He blinked his eye open as he eased the cigarette from her fingers and took a drag.

"I'll take care of it," he said quietly. Natasha shook her head.

"I just want her to be happy," she replied. "My Da, he makes her happy, we all know that. Tig, since he's been here, he's been crazy over her."

Happy nodded. He knew Tig better than anyone else, his obsessive, possessive behaviour was dangerous when it went unchecked and it was clearly out of hand again. "I'll fix it, Tash," he promised, caressing her cheek and kissing her nose tenderly. "You can trust me."

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><p>"Good morning."<p>

Thomas grinned as he looked up over his mug of coffee at Emily. Her hair was a mess, a huge mane of dark curls around her face, and she was dressed in one of his plaid flannel shirts and nothing else. He swung around in the kitchen to get another cup for her.

"You sleep okay?" he asked, crossing to her and kissing her cheek gently as he pushed the mug into her hands. Emily blushed a little, dipping her head and gazing up at him with her fierce blue eyes.

"I'm so sorry," she said shyly. Thomas laughed at her, winding his arm around her as he gave her a gentle kiss. His hand ran playfully along her waist, tickling her.

"Don't be sorry." He edged her towards the kitchen island and kissed along her neck playfully. "It was probably better that way. I liked you falling asleep in my arms like that." She giggled and gave him a playful smack as his hand sank to her ass and gave her a squeeze. "We've got plenty of time for, you know, that other stuff."

Emily played with his hair as he said it, stroking her hand down his jaw and pulling at his beard. The thought of Thomas wanting something more filled her with excitement. "Plenty of time, hey?" Thomas smiled.

"I mean... If Tig kicked you out? It means you don't have to go back to Belfast, right? So you can... stay? Here." When she didn't answer, he added shyly, "I would like you to stay, Em."

Emily felt her cheeks flushing red as he said it. "What kind of girl do you think I am, Tommy?" He laughed as he tugged at the shirt, pulling her closer.

"You forget, I've known you for a long time, Emmy." He kissed her again, soft and gentle, his lips like velvet against hers. His stubble tickled her chin as he drew her to him, and she could feel her heart racing faster. "You're part of this place, this is home. And I think you're happier here."

She was, Emily knew she was. She was free here, she could go out, have fun, have lunch or drinks with her friends - all without the beady eyes of the Irish guard or her parents. Charming gave her her life back. Her fingers worked along the collar of Thomas' shirt and she nodded.

"So what happens now?"

He smiled and led her chin towards him, eager to kiss her again. Thomas couldn't get enough, no crow eater had ever made him feel the way Emily did. She was addictive, and he craved her through and through. As their lips brushed each other's, he heard an audible grumble behind him before Sully squeaked,

"What are they doing?"

Abel put his hand over his youngest brother's eyes as he walked him into the kitchen. "Screwing around," he groaned, looking at Thomas in annoyance. They had a strict code about letting the other know if there was a girl in the house, but Thomas had been off his guard coming home with Emily. "Starts with that, then it gets real messy." He helped Sully clamber up sit at the kitchen table. Emily pulled her shirt tighter around her as Thomas released her, Abel's gaze made her feel uneasy.

"Dad dropped him off?" Thomas asked, motioning to Sully. Abel nodded as he poured out two bowls of cereal and pushed one to the little boy with a generous slosh of milk.

"Mom's working, he's at TM. As you should be," he added, nodding to the clock. Emily took their conversation as a good moment to slip away to get dressed, and Abel watched her go with a slight sneer. "You shouldn't be fucking around with her."

Thomas rolled his eyes, waiting for the lecture from Abel. When he didn't start into it, he rubbed his jaw and looked through to the hall, his eyes following the way Emily had gone. "It's not just fucking around with her, I swear. There's something about her, man, I just-"

"She's been here two minutes," Abel interjected, interrupting him quickly. "Her, that family, they're all trouble. Dad's said it for years, just don't get involved."

Thomas rolled his eyes. "Dad is paranoid. Whatever beef he had with Nina's done, Emily's nothing to do with it." He smiled to himself. "I really like her."

"You'll stir shit up. With Tig, and the Irish," Abel warned. "She's just another gash, Tommy, pick a less complicated one." Thomas waved his brother's warning away and Abel suddenly stood up, leaning into him threateningly. "I mean it, brother. Find a different girl, there's shit you don't know and it'll be better for everyone if you let go now."

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><p>Nina woke to the sight of Tig on his side, his head on the pillow beside her. He was turning an orange gerbera around and around in his fingers, but he pushed it eagerly into her face as he saw her eyes open. He had a lopsided, sheepish sort of smile on his lips as he moved to stroke her hair back from her face, and he grimaced as he watched her shy back from him.<p>

"It's okay, it's just me. It's me." His voice was gentle, quiet as he tried to assure her. He reached to stroke her and watched as she cowered beneath his hand. There was a dark patch on her left cheek from the clout he had given her, Tig forgot how heavy handed he could be. "Jesus, baby, I'm sorry."

She didn't reply, Nina wasn't even sure what she could say. She closed her eyes as Tig touched her, she was numb. Tig ran his palm along her arm, resting it on her waist before drawing it to her hip. He watched as she screwed her eyes close in pain and edged her nightdress up to see the lacerations from his fingernails along her skin.

"Shit." He looked up at her, embarrassed, and leaned into her. "Lin, he got into my head, he was bullshitting about you and Chibs and I just, I lost it." He started to shake his head as he kissed her very gently, almost a ghostly embrace on her face. "Fuck, Nina, you know I love you. And I trust you, I do. I know you and me do this together, baby, I just, I fucked up, you have to forgive me." His eyes were starting to flood with tears as he said it. "This place, it gets in my head, you have to know I'd never hurt you. I love you." He was scooping her closer, but she was unresponsive, like a rag doll on his arms. "We should go home, go back to Belfast." He kissed her face, her lips, her neck, insistent. "Let me take you home, we can be good again. We're good, right? You and me?"

Nina's glazed eyes blinked slowly as his hands slid over her, moving back up to her face to cup her cheeks, holding on to her. Maybe they just needed to go again, leave for Ireland. This mess with Chibs, it would never heal with her being here.

"I love you," Tig whimpered, feeling himself breaking. "Nina, please, it's us. This is us. You're my wife, I... I need you."

She nodded, her head barely moving. How could she say no to him? Tig had the control, he had Galen on a short leash and the Kings adored him. He would have their backing in everything - if she left, the Irish would pull the gun trade from SAMCRO, without a doubt.

"Are we okay?" Tig ventured, nervous of her response. "Please, baby, tell me we are."

Slowly, fearfully, she nodded. They should leave, at least Chibs would be safe that way. "We're okay," she whispered, her lips barely moving. "We'll be okay."

A grin spread across Tig's face as he buried his face in the crook of her neck, relieved that she would forgive him. Nina moaned softly at his touch as he crushed the flower between them, snapping its neck beneath his weight as he put his arms around her, cuddling her tight. "That's it, Mrs Trager," he murmured as he held onto her, gaining strength from just having his hands on her. "We'll be okay."


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N - Uh-oh, trouble afoot... enjoy ;)**

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><p>"Your Prez around?"<p>

Tig's figure, suddenly looming over the car Abel was working on, filled the guy with an impending sense of trouble. Abel stood up, wiping some sweat from his head and inadvertently smearing oil across his skin, and shook his head. Chibs had barely been anywhere near the club for a couple of days, he always seemed to be busy with something or another. Maybe was avoiding Tig, that wouldn't be all that surprising, but Abel kept his loyalties in the right place.

"On a meet," he said coldly. "Sorry."

Tig's nostrils flared for a minute, irritated by Abel's unhelpful response. It was time he told Chibs they were heading back, he didn't want to waste another damn minute in Charming, that was for sure. The sooner he could get Nina home, the sooner they could fall back into their own rhythm, out of the way. He'd have to deal with this gun trade conversation first, though. Lin's questions about SAMCRO handing off the trade had Tig concerned, it was a conversation he hadn't been privy to, despite how important it had the potential to be.

"You know when he might be back?"

Abel shrugged. "You can sit in the club if you want, wait for him."

Tig sneered, as if the little prick had just given him permission to go into his own club house. He flicked him off as he walked away, slowly removing his sunglasses as he got to the shaded picnic tables where Rat and Happy sat talking quietly. Happy fell silent in an instant, his face growing dark as he watched Tig walk past, stewing quietly on the best way to address the promise he had made to Natasha.

Tig tossed himself down on the couch with a grunt and he looked over to see Sully working his way through a colouring book on the floor beside him. Tig leaned over as he looked at the picture of the motorbike the little boy was working on and pointed to the pale tuquoisey blue he was using. "That's like your Grandpa's bike, right?" Sully looked up at him for a moment and the nodded as he picked up the book and turned it around to show the pages to Tig. Tig flicked idly through, looking at the artwork until he reached the back cover to see a few of Sully's doodles on the blank pages. He laughed as he spotted different members of the club, their hair roughly drawn in with thick wax crayon. "That your Dad?"

"With Mommy," Sully nodded, pointing to how the two of them were holding hands. Tig nodded as he looked over the others. There was Juice, with his Mohawk and tattoos and that usual mawkish grin on his face, and Bobby with a wild mop of hair and a huge beard. Finally he tapped one with an exaggerated smile.

"That Chibby, huh?"

Sully smiled proudly. "With Aunty Nina, see?" Again, he pointed to the woman he had drawn beside Chibs. She was wearing a little green dress and had pale, tanned skin, and their hands were carefully connected. Tig frowned at the picture, irritated at the sight of it.

"You know, Aunty Nina's my old lady, right? Like your Mommy is your Dad's?" He picked up a crayon and started to draw a little picture of himself beside Nina, holding her other hand. Sully frowned, annoyed that Tig was altering his hard work so casually.

"But I saw them screwing around," he declared proudly, snatching the book away. Tig froze as he said it, dropping the pencil in his hand.

"What did you just say?"

Sully folded the book shut and hid it behind him so that Tig couldn't damage it any further. "I saw them screwing around. In there," he added, pointing towards chapel. "Like Tommy and Emily were this morning at Abel's house."

The double bill of information was like a one-two punch to Tig's gut. He expected as much about Emily, the girl was a liability and after the way she had stormed out last night, Tig would have been surprised for anything else. But the rest… "When did you see that?" He sank to his knees and put his hands heavily on Sully's shoulders, scowling as he leaned into his face. Tig was doing everything he could to keep his head together but his grip on Sully was tight already. "_When?_"

Sully's eyes filled with panic and he started to cry instantly, frightened by Tig's tone. Tig gritted his teeth, trying to stroke the boy's hair to calm him down but inwardly, he didn't care. He'd kill him, he'd fucking kill him. It was just like Chibs to be a goddamn fucking cheat. And Nina? Tig felt himself grow cold.

"That little bitch."

Letting go of Sully, Tig got up, leaving the little boy in tears on the floor. He ran his thumb and forefinger around his mouth, smoothing down the hairs of his moustache. That whore. All morning, she had been such a goddamn weepy mess and, Christ, she was a liar. Tig shook his head, running his hands through his hair as he tried to piece together a timeline. How long had it been going on? It must have been since the beginning, since they got back. He put his hand to his forehead, had he been that stupid? Had he missed it all along? Jesus, every second that she'd been on her own, when Chibs hadn't been at the club, they'd probably been together. They'd probably been fucking that whole time.

His strides quickened as he paced out of the clubhouse. He'd kill her. He would find her and he would make her pay for it. She was showing him up, embarrassing him. As he stepped out into the sun, Happy stood up suddenly, pushing the palm of his hand into Tig's chest. "Hey."

Tig slapped his hand away furiously, distracted by the whirring fury in his mind. It was the wrong play, Happy grabbed him fiercely and twisted his wrist in rage, thumping him back against the wall with all his might. Tig grunted as his body was crushed by Happy's and he lashed out, giving him a heavy clout against the face. Happy roared as he grabbed Tig's collar and spun him around, slamming him to the floor.

"No goddamn way." There was that unhinged, spooky look in his eyes, the one that had earned him that 'Unholy Ones' patch. "You think you can smack me around too, do you? Like you do your old lady?"

It took Tig a moment to parse his words as he clambered to his feet, dusting himself off. "You don't know what you're talking about."

Happy drew himself up, he seemed bigger than he ever had as he shoved a hard finger into Tig's chest. "You _raped_ her." The words boomed across the lot, much louder than intended, and everybody stopped still, staring at Tig. Tig paused, embarrassed, as Rat and Bobby both looked over at him with disgust. Jax stopped what he was doing in TM and paused, crossing his arms to watch what was happening. "You. You did that."

Tig gritted his teeth. "It's not what it looks like."

"It's exactly what it looks like." Happy was unable to control his anger. "You lost your cool and you took it out on a girl. That girl. That girl who gave you her trust again." Tig snorted as he wiped his lips with the back of his hand.

"Trust?" He laughed, rolling his eyes and snorting. "That girl doesn't know what the word means. Do you know where she is right now?" Happy didn't speak but Tig filled in the gap. "She's fucking Chibs. Right now, she'll be fucking him, like the goddamn whore she is."

Happy punched him hard. He didn't care who Nina was with, not even slightly, but he wouldn't hear her spoken about like that. "You watch your goddamn mouth." Tig staggered back, off-balance, and Bobby grabbed him, holding him upright. Tig slapped at him, even though he was trying to help, and Bobby let go of him quickly. The second he let go, Happy leapt at him, slamming him back again. Tig laughed as he wrestled with him furiously, throwing a punch to put some distance between them.

"You want to fuck her too, huh? You want to get some of that nasty fucking gash?" He shook his head. "You'd be better ploughing straight into one of her Dad's bitches at Diosa."

"That's enough."

Jax jogged over, getting between them and holding Happy back from Tig before he totally destroyed him, but Tig pushed him away, shaking his head. "Don't fucking touch me. None of you fuckers touch me." He looked at them, hate in his eyes as he glanced between them. "This whole fucking club has changed. You want to talk about getting out of guns and then don't tell me? What happened to brothers, huh?" He pulled his hands away, hurt, and snarled as he looked at them, his gaze bouncing between them. "You're all liars. You're not family, none of you are."

He turned his back on them as he walked to his bike. Jax started to walk behind him but Tig didn't stop, he climbed on his bike and it roared to life instantly. He pushed off instantly, the exhaust fumes choking Jax as he stopped. Glancing behind him, Jax looked at Happy for a moment before calling out,

"Call Chibs, now. Tell him he's on the way."


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N - All I can say is, 'oh shit...'**

For someone so good at playing it cool, Chibs was terrible at it when it came to Nina. The second she asked him to come around, he was there and with a mile-wide smile on his face. To he honest, he would complete even the simplest task from her without so much as a raised eyebrow. Knowing Tig was out meant one thing. Any opportunity to spend time with Nina was to be taken at any cost, Chibs would do whatever it took to see her. Even if that meant riding out without his cut, in his simple black hoodie, parking three blocks down and walking to stay unnoticed.

He knocked once, then twice, as agreed. Nina had her hair swept over one side of her face in a sort of lopsided ponytail, and she ushered him in quickly before glancing around outside and shutting the door in a hurry. As she turned into him, Chibs tugged her gently into his arms and cradled her tenderly.

"I missed you so much last night," he whispered, his eyes closed as he held her, soaking up that feeling, that smell. All of that bullshit Emily had been going on about last night, he knew that Nina had to play a game with Tig. He couldn't let it bother him. He kissed her head and her hair, burying his nose in her tresses, allowing his frustrations to dissolve as he touched her. Nina could feel her eyes stinging as she nodded slowly.

"Aye, me too." She leaned her chin into his chest and leaned up, her eyes locking with his. She could see his expression changing as he caught sight of the bruise on her eye, his face falling as he pushed her hair away to expose the nasty black mark on her cheek.

"Mary, mother of Christ." Emily hadn't been talking as much crap as he had thought. Nina gave him a hopeless, broken sort of smile as he tried to get his head around the sight of her, but she had come to peace with her decision.

"I have to go home, Filip." She reached for his face, stroking his cheek softly. "Before he finds out about us, before this gets worse."

The words broke his heart. All he wanted to do was hold her but she was reserved, resigned to her plan. This couldn't end, even if he had to share her, it was better than never getting his chance with her. "Did he hurt you?" Trying to keep his mind together was the hardest thing. He was desperately trying to remember what Emily had been saying. "Did he... did he touch you?"

"He's my husband, Filip." It was clear Nina was struggling with the words themselves. It wasn't enough, she could see it in his face, and gently she stepped back, easing the hem of her skirt up to her waist. Chibs grimaced as he saw the torn skin on her hips and he whimpered as he fell to his knees in front of her. He pressed his head against her, pushing his forehead to her as he held the backs of her thighs and tried to choke back the urge to cry. How could he do it? How could Tig even think to do that to her, after everything she had been through?

Nina could feel herself murmuring gently as he nuzzled her, his brown eyes closing slowly as he inhaled her scent. She stroked his hair and shook her head, she had to stop, they had to. She slowly pressed him back, unpeeling his hands from her body, finger by finger, as she slipped away.

"We can't, any more." She had to do this, she had to commit. "Being here with him, it's changing him. I can't, I don't want to. Tig's a good man."

Chibs laughed darkly as he looked up at her from the floor. "A good man doesn't do that," he muttered, gesturing to her bruised body. Nina shook her head.

"He didn't mean to," she said, trying to make it seem not as bad. "He's not like that, Filip."

"He's exactly like that!" Chibs got up, rocking back onto his heels as he did. "Why are you covering for him? Huh? When all he's done is hurt you time and time again?" He was shaking, trying to control his frustration. "All he's ever done is take advantage of you. Scar you, pick at you, try and get in your head and convince you it's on you?" He pinched the bridge of his nose. "I've made mistakes, and maybe I've been negligent before but, Nina, I won't do it again. Now we're good, I won't let him. I can't just look past this."

She shook her head and laughed to herself. "What are you going to do, Filip? Shoot him? Kill him?" She could see him getting frustrated and she moved into him, stroking his hair gently. "You and me. It can never work. I want it to, you know I do, but it can't, not with Tig around." She could see him considering and she touched her hand to his chest. "You can't kill him, I know you're thinking about it."

Chibs' face softened, she had always been able to read him like an open book. "I would." She nodded, she could see that. "I just don't want him hurting you."

"And he won't," she said, sure of her words. "Once we go home to Belfast, and this, us, Charming is all behind us, I know we can be okay again." He didn't seem convinced. "He's your brother, Filip. And he's your friend. Not to mention being your connection to the IRA." She shook her head. "We have to stop. It's not fair on anyone."

Chibs could feel his heart thumping in his chest, suddenly his whole body just wanted to give up. There was a tightness spreading through him and he let out a long-held sigh.

"I can't do this without you," he muttered. "Nina, I, shite, I need you. I thought I was okay without you but I'm not." He cupped her face anxiously in his hands and kissed her. His lips felt so perfect, so soft, his mouth easing hers open with the tenderness she needed. As his tongue brushed hers, Nina drew away.

"Don't keep making me fall for you," she pleaded. "It's hard enough."

Chibs chuckled as he ground against her. "Aye, it is." She smiled as she blinked at him and pushed a kiss onto his cheek.

"Enough, now."

Chibs' phone rang shrilly in his back pocket and he sighed as he tugged it out. Enough, it would never be enough, he could never have enough. Flipping it open, welcoming the distraction, he lifted it. "Jackie."

"Are you with Nina?" The question was abrupt and Chibs knew it couldn't be good. He looked at her for a moment and nodded.

"Aye, I'm with her."

"You need to leave, now." There was no room for negotiation, that was an instruction. "Tig is on his way, Prez, and he's out of his mind."

Chibs didn't have time to answer, Nina could hear the Harley wheels squealing on the drive. "Oh Jesus." She looked at him in panic. "You have to get out." Chibs slipped the phone away and shook his head. He could already see the anger in Tig's eyes through the window as he stormed up the path in absolute rage.

"No way am I leaving you with him like that."

There wasn't time for a discussion about it, Tig slammed the door open and made a beeline straight for Nina. His hand wrapped around her throat as he slammed her against the wall, making her cry out. There was something in his eyes, something that terrified her, and she desperately clutched at his hand to make him let go.

"You lying, cheating whore."

"Hey!" Chibs came up behind him, wrestling him away and Tig snarled as he turned around and socked him one straight in the mouth. He had been so focused on Nina he hadn't even seen Chibs there, but he didn't seem all that surprised.

"You wait until I go out, huh? Call him around to fuck you?" He slapped her and hard, and Nina instinctively lashed out at him, her nails dragging down his arm. Tig roared as he grabbed her by the hair, holding her tight as he showed her to Chibs, his arm around her neck "This is what you want? This is what you're giving up on years of friendship for?"

Chibs could see Nina disappearing, withdrawing, she looked like she would pass out at any second. His eyes were so solely focused on her, Tig snorted with derision. He snatched his gun from the back of his pants and pressed it to Nina's temple, making her start whispering to herself in Spanish in fear.

"Gun on the table, Prez," he said coldly. Chibs didn't move and Tig, without a second thought, unlatched the safety. "On the table or I'll kill her."

"Jesus Christ." Chibs couldn't move fast enough, he quickly put his two revolvers down and, on further instruction, his knives too. Tig growled as he edged Chibs around the room and motioned towards the bedroom, holding Nina at gunpoint as he forced her to follow. Jax had been right, Tig was out of his mind, any semblance of his normal behaviour was just gone. His eyes were a pale, flicking ice blue, he had the gaze of a mad man.

Tig gave Nina a shove towards the bed, slamming her down on it before turning his gun towards Chibs. "Show me. Show me what it is you do to her that always keeps her coming back to you." Chibs shook his head.

"Tig, just calm down."

The words only inflamed Tig's fury further. "Don't you tell me to calm down. You don't know bullshit about calming me down, you piece of shit. You think you got it all made, hey? Pull out of guns now I'm out there so you don't have to deal with me any more? Fuck me over as well as my wife?" He snorted. "Now I'm going to watch you screw her, and I'm going to see what it is she wants."

"I'm not going to do that," Nina said as assertively as she could. Tig laughed, like it was a negotiation, and strode over, grabbing her face roughly.

"Yes, Mrs Trager, you are, or I'll kill the pair of you right now."

Nina's eyes flickered to Chibs quickly. What could they do? Tig was armed and they had nothing, right now it seemed like he hadn't got a thing to keep him in check.

"Alex, I'm not going to," she repeated again, firmer now, trying to find her voice. She focused her gaze on him, despite how much he was hurting her, ignoring the gun he had pressed between her ribs. "We're going home, you and me. We can leave right now."

"What, now you've had your fill?" Tig laughed. He pressed his mouth to Nina's, his tongue licking over her lips. "You taste like him. I can smell him on you, you dirty little bitch." Chibs shivered as he watched Tig push Nina down to sit on her edge of the bed, the gun never leaving her. He shoved her knees apart roughly. "Has he been inside you? Did he get his dick wet in you?"

"That's enough." Chibs slammed into Tig, sending him careering across the floor. The gun clattered to the side, out of the way, and Tig didn't pause to get it. He was up on his feet in less than a second and grabbed Chibs by his shirt, hurling him against the dresser. They scrambled for a moment before Chibs shoved Tig back. The mirrored glass shattered on impact and Tig growled as he grabbed a shard of it, ignoring the way it cut into his hand as he brandished it as his new weapon. He laughed slowly as he saw the piece of mirror glint in his hand and looked at Nina, waving it towards her as he did.

"I gave up my life for you. My home, my friends, my club. I traded them all so you wouldn't have to be the IRA puppet any more. And this is how you repay me? Coming here for this, with him?" He gestured to Chibs as he spoke and whimpered. "I thought you married me because you loved me."

"I do love you, Alex." She genuinely meant it, Chibs could hear it in her voice, but Tig wasn't listening. "We were together, I just, I got back here and fell into a bad habit. I'm sorry, but it's done. We can still be happy."

"Not happy enough." He looked possessed, like a ghost or ghoul had crawled into his skin. His haunted expression filled her with fear as he looked at her. Noticing how distracted he was, Chibs moved carefully towards the gun and sank down into a squat to collect it on his finger. He swung it up into his hand nonchalantly.

"I gave you everything, literally everything I had." Tig's voice broke a little as he said it and Nina felt herself softening to him. He was right, he had made those sacrifices for her.

"Please can we just go home?" she pleaded, edging closer to him. Chibs winced, he didn't want her getting so close, Tig was dangerous and unpredictable but Nina held her hands up, trusting. "Please, Alex. I just want to go home with you now."

She had just reached him, just rested one hand on him when Tig looked at her with a robotic, cold stare and murmured,

"Maybe I don't want you to come home any more."

In one swift move, he plunged the broken glass in between her ribs, two sharp jabs slicing her open. Chibs cried out as he saw Nina stumble back and fall. Her legs had given way beneath her from the pain and blood began to soak through her shirt. Chibs dropped the gun in an instant and started towards her but Tig was already prowling over like an animal, nuzzling her body as he pressed his hand against the wounds.

"Look what you made me do, baby," he whinnied softly as he kissed her, the blood staining him too. "Why couldn't you just be mine, huh?" When Chibs tried to look at what he had done, he growled angrily. "Call Natasha, get her here to patch this up." He kissed his wife's unconscious figure. "Then we can work all this out."


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N - Hello beautiful people! So glad you are enjoying this, that last chapter was so deliciously tricky! This one's a little calmer (only a little) and I've got to ask you - what do you think is the best punishment for Tig? Is it a one-way ticket to see Mister Mayhem, or is there something else you'd like to see him face? Can't wait to hear your thoughts! S x**

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><p>"Da?"<p>

It had been impossible to ignore the panic in Chibs' voice when he had called Natasha. Forbidden to give her any details other than to bring supplies, all he could do was tell her to come and that she did, worry etched on the seventeen-year-old's face as she pushed the open door to get into Tig's place. She paced through, unable to find anyone, and paused in the kitchen.

"Da?"

No answer. Fearful, she picked up one of Chibs' guns from the table and slipped it into the waistband of her skirt at the back. Keeping her hand on it, she walked carefully through, down the hall towards the bedroom. She edged the door open as she heard a hushed voice, the sound of Tig whimpering as he sat straddling Nina, his hands pressed against her body as blood spilled onto his skin. Natasha took a breath, keeping herself together as she walked in and saw Chibs had been backed into a corner, unable to do a thing.

"Oh God," she whispered as she saw the red stains all across the carpet and bedsheets. Tig looked up as he heard her, his ears pricking up like a wolf, and he slunk back as she came in, resting on his heels and eyeing Chibs suspiciously as he beckoned Natasha across.

"It was an accident," he said, his voice wavering as he said it. "I didn't meant to, Tash, I swear. I just got so mad."

Natasha wasn't about to get into that argument, that was for sure. She pressed him back and Tig gave in beneath her hand, shifting back in a way he simply wouldn't have for Chibs. He watched, fearful, as Natasha moved her hands along Nina's body. The blood was beginning to congeal on her clothing and skin, Natasha wrinkled her nose as she unbuttoned her mother's shirt from the waist down and pushed it aside. Tig watched her every move like a hawk, and Chibs tried desperately to see what was happening.

"I can't deal with this, I think it's deeper than just flesh. She needs to go to a hospital," Natasha said abruptly, glancing towards Tig. Chibs stepped closer, ignoring Tig's scowl and putting his hand on her shoulder.

"She can't." His voice was cool, trying to keep it together when all he wanted to do was tear Tig apart. "She'll be on Interpol lists, she's an affiliate of the IRA. There's no way, Tash, they'll place her under arrest the moment you check her in." He leaned over her, finally able to get a look, and gently traced his fingers over the wounds. They were deep but the bleeding seemed to be slowing, Chibs winced as he tried to remember any of his army medic training. Quite honestly, he'd never been all that good at it but right now he needed to remember anything he could. Natasha nodded, she needed to buy some time to find out what had happened. After a moment, she turned to Tig.

"Could you get me some hot water, please? Let me clear it up, see what we can do?" Tig got to his feet instantly and slipped out, suddenly wanting to do anything he could to be helpful. As he went, Natasha looked at her father. "What the hell, Da?"

"We got caught," he murmured, keeping his tone low. "He's a fucking mess, love, I don't think you should be here. I need you to get out as soon as you can."

Natasha shook her head. "I called Grandda. I didn't know what was happening when you called, he's on his way over here."

Chibs wiped his hand down his face and closed his eyes for a moment. Jesus Christ, Nero would kill Tig, he was almost sure of it. However much Chibs wanted to do it himself, Tig was still a part of the club, he'd need to face a goddamn Mayhem vote to legitimately have his comeuppance. Chibs didn't want to have to defend him, but his sense of the club's order gnawed at the corner of his brain. They would have to do it properly, at the right time, and Nero would need holding off.

"We'll sort that out, just… don't tell him," he said, unsure as Tig came back into the room. Natasha squeezed his hand before taking the bowl of water and a towel to clean the bloodstains from Nina's skin. Washing her hands off, she winced as she pressed her fingers into the wounds. Tig watched, obsessed, as she sank her fingers into Nina's flesh, feeling it out.

"I'm no medic but I think you've missed her organs," she explained. "I was worried you'd caught her lung, if she'd bled through…" She didn't have to finish, they both knew. Nina would have choked and drowned in her own blood, there would be no coming back if Tig had been sloppy but the precision of his attack had been clean and just brutal. "What did you use?"

Tig pulled a pathetic face, lifting the streaked shard of glass and showing it in his palms to Natasha. She could see the lacerations on his own hand where he had held it and bit back the desire to take the gun from her skirt and hold it straight to his head. She couldn't, as much as she wanted to. There were too many factors at play, she knew how important Tig was to the Irish contingent. Any reaction would blow back on the club and she couldn't put her father at risk.

"We can stuff it and gauze it, stitch, it's not ideal but it's the best patch I can think of," she said, looking at Chibs for help. Tig's hands were shaking, he would be useless. "Stem the bleeding and let it heal on its own, but I think she needs a real doctor on this, Da. Can we call Tara?"

"No." It wasn't Chibs who answered but Tig, suddenly drawing himself up and moving over Nina again, putting his arm around her. "No Tara. No Jax, they're in it together, they'll hurt her." If he realised the irony in his words, he didn't show it. Tig's lip curled into a snarl as he glared at Chibs, backing him away. "None of those club assholes, they're all liars."

"Liars?" Chibs was beginning to lose his very precious grip on his temper. "You've lost your goddamn mind, you psychopath. This whole club does nothing but look after you."

"You tried to take her!" Tig snapped, suddenly pushing Natasha away, ignoring the fact that he needed her to help. There was a wild look in his eyes, manic and desperate. "She's mine, she's always been mine, you keep trying to get in her head."

Despite the warning look Natasha tried to give him, Chibs shoved his sleeves up as he squared up to Tig. "What? So you stabbed her? What was that going to do, Trager, show her who's boss? Because raping her didn't do enough?"

That was it. Tig pounced on him, launching at him fiercely and flattening him to the floor as the two struggled to get the upper hand over each other. Natasha rolled her eyes as she watched them punching and kicking at each other, both desperately trying to get the other off. She didn't have time for this, ignoring them both she set about dressing the wounds on Nina's side. She wound out some wire on her fingers and soothed her mother as she stirred anxiously in her sleep at the sound of the two grown men scrapping on the floor. She worked diligently, only pausing from her work as she heard a light knock on the door. Natasha looked up and motioned for Nero to come in and help her as he entered. He started towards Chibs and Tig to separate them, but Natasha waved her hand.

"Don't bother," she suggested. "Let them get it out, I need you more."

Nero frowned as he did as asked and froze as he saw Nina stretched out. If Natasha hadn't reached for him, pulling him into help instantly, nobody would have been able to stop him pulverising the pair of Sons as they scrabbled on the ground like a couple of drunk teenage boys. He tried to ignore the roaring and cursing as Natasha had him pull Nina's skin tight as she started to stitch it carefully. Nero had seen these patch ups too many times to count, but watching his granddaughter tending to his girl made him feel nauseous.

"What happened?" he asked, trying to understand. "Retaliation?"

Natasha sighed and shook her head. "Sort of, I guess," she murmured, trying to do as Chibs had asked and keep the truth secret. The fight behind them was escalating, and Natasha frowned as each bark made her hesitate over her handiwork. Finally, pausing, she reached for the gun in the small of her back and fired a warning shot into the ceiling. Both Chibs and Tig stopped instantly, staring at her with wide eyes, and she pointed her bloody fingers at them. "The pair of you, get out, now." When neither moved, she aimed the gun at Tig, her eyes narrowing. "I mean it. Out."

Tig frowned and Nero took his cue to help her. Getting up, he clapped his hands and gestured for them both to go. "You heard her. Out." Chibs opened his mouth to object but Nero shook his head. "She's the boss, mano. Go downstairs, wait, sort this shit out," he added, gesturing to their bloody faces. "Get your priorities right, huh? Later, you can fill me in."


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N - Ohhhh it's so hard but I think you'll like this. It's not too long (sorry Tiki!) but hope you enjoy!**

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><p>Chibs sat at the kitchen table in silence but Tig was pacing, a steady and constant rhythm back and forth across the tile floor. He was talking to himself, a combination of berating his own behaviour and excusing it, explaining over and over again why he had done what he had done, rationalising it. Chibs tried not to listen, every word he overheard made him angrier as time passed. All he wanted to do was go upstairs and hold the woman he loved so deeply, the woman who had been hurt because she had given in to him.<p>

"This is my fault." Chibs pinched his nose as he whispered the words into his hands, but Tig heard it, his ears pricking up, on the alert. He stopped still and gazed condescendingly at Chibs.

"Yeah, it is."

If Nero hadn't come through at that moment, Chibs wasn't sure how Tig would have followed through on his insane suppositions. Nero paused for a moment, looking at them both, before finally settling on Chibs.

"One of you two going to tell me what happened?"

Chibs answered first, he needed to keep control of this. If Nero found out the truth, there'd be no time for a Mayhem vote, that was for certain. "It's in hand, Nero, you don't need to know."

Nero scoffed, glancing back towards the bedroom. "In hand? Someone stabbed my babygirl and you two are arguing like a couple of frat boys while my grandchild is patching her up. How is that in hand?"

Neither spoke, Tig too torn up by what he had done to actually admit it. Chibs was covering for him, he didn't know why, he didn't have the capacity to try and work it out right now. All he had to do was keep himself together until Nero left and then...

He looked up, thankful, as Natasha walked in. She made a beeline for the sink, washing her hands, and Tig watched intently as the blood ran down from her fingers into the basin. She started to scrub, the dark stains engrained in her skin, and Tig frowned as he realised how like Nina she really was. He handed her a towel with a reserved little smile, and she nodded as she took it.

"Thanks," she murmured as she dried her hands. "I've done what I can, but she'll need medication. Antibiotics, probably something to calm her down, she seems very nervous, even in her sleep."

Chibs tugged absently at his beard. "I'm not surprised." He watched as his little girl sighed and got herself a beer from the fridge, necking it to slow down her racing mind. Poor Natasha, he had never intended for her to get so mixed up in all of this mess but Tig had demanded her presence. Chibs shouldn't have been surprised that the IRA team had probably taught her a few of the basics.

"I need to see her," Tig demanded bluntly. Natasha shook her head.

"No, she needs to rest. Doctor's orders," she added, trying to relax the situation but Tig's lip twitched into a growl.

"She's not yours, she's mine." He started towards the room to have Natasha block him, thumping her fist against his chest hard to stop him.

"No, Tig," she said firmly, her eyes narrowing as she looked up at him challengingly. "You heard what I said, you don't go in there."

Tig glared at her, grinding his jaw in rage at the blunt tone she used with him. He snatched at her wrist, holding it tight and bruising it with ease as he tugged her towards him. "You watch your tone with me, Natasha, or I swear to God-"

"What are you going to do?" Natasha glared at him challengingly. "You need me right now, you need me for her so you won't lay a goddamn hand on me."

Her defiance both enraged and thrilled him, and Tig grinned as he dragged her after him towards the bedroom. He'd see Nina, if Natasha was going to try and stop that, she would just have to come with him. Before either Nero or Chibs could stop him, he slammed the door on them both and locked it, turning with a dark look to Tash as he slunk to Nina's side. He lay down beside her, his hand stroking her carefully as he nuzzled her head and neck, whispering softly.

"I'm sorry, baby." He closed his eyes as he leaned into her, pressing his body against hers instinctively. "I would never hurt you, you know that, I love you. We can go home, just like you said, I promise."

Natasha kept her back to the wall as she watched him carefully, moving around towards him. She needed to remove his gun, she needed to take away his instant advantage over her. There was no doubt that Tig could take her in a physical altercation, but she needed to try and ensure he couldn't use that weapon against her.

"She married me," Tig suddenly said, his voice wavering in a plaintive, confused tone. "She told me she loved me, that it was just me and her. Forsaking all others." His lip trembled as he said it. "Except him."

Natasha paused, sinking into the window seat to steady herself. Tig turned, his cold blue eyes focusing on her. She touched her finger to her lips for a moment.

"And did you do that too? Keep that promise to her?" She could see his face changing, it was no secret that Tig couldn't keep it in his pants. Every trip back to Charming had been fuelled by drinking and pussy, Happy had told her that. When Tig didn't answer, she smiled softly. "We all make mistakes, Alex."

Alex. She'd never called him that, in all the years they'd been thrown together in their funny mixed up family in Belfast. He pushed his lower lip out like a sulky toddler and looked at Nina again. "But she's perfect, she doesn't make mistakes," he whined gently. "And she's mine."

"She's not a possession," Natasha said, more firmly now, her confidence gathering with every word she said. "She loves you." Nervously she moved towards him and reached for his hand, which Tig gave her. "But she and Da-"

"No!" He snatched his hand back quickly, he didn't want to hear it. "They lied to me. They betrayed me." Natasha was struggling to be sympathetic now but she still tried.

"They didn't mean to," she offered. "When you were in Belfast, just the two of you, she really did love you. But here, her heart is just a mess. It doesn't change what she had for you but, honestly? What they have is inimitable."

Tig felt his lip wobble, the enormity of her words hitting him hard. It was always what he had suspected but nobody had ever vocalised it before. Hearing it made him feel weaker, and he whimpered for a moment, looking anxiously down at Nina as he stroked her hair obsessively.

"But she's mine," he pleaded again, childlike in his insistence. "Nobody's ever loved me like she does, Tash. I don't want... I can't go back to being alone." There was suddenly some sort of fear in his eyes as he looked at her. "I know it wasn't right, I didn't mean to hurt her, I just can't go back without her."

Natasha nodded, moving to sit beside him. She could see the gun at his back, it would take one quick draw to take it from him. "I know, I understand." She stroked his cheek. "I understand, the way you love her. All consuming, it's beautiful, it's just... dangerous." Tig started to pull back from her but she could see she only had one chance. Tilting his head to connect his gaze to hers, she murmured, "I would kill for what you have for her."

Before Tig even had a moment to work out what was happening, Natasha pressed her lips up against his. One hand snaked into his hair, pulling him close, while the other slipped around his back, grabbing at the gun. Tig could feel her pulling his weapon from him and he clamped his teeth into her hard as he tried to block her hand, realising what she was trying to do. Natasha was too quick, she had her hand on the Colt and pulled it quickly towards her as Tig slammed her back, shoving her down to the floor. Keeping her fingers in his hair, she pulled him down on top of her, groaning as he crushed her with his weight, the gun squeezed between them. The thump resonated through the house and suddenly the anxious sound of fists against the door made the entire situation seem so, so real.

Tig snarled as he slammed his fist into Natasha's face. "You manipulative little bitch," he roared as he pummelled her. "You're just like her, taking everything." He could see his rings gashing at her face, tearing her skin but he didn't care, he was furious. Natasha sobbed as she tried to get her fingers on the trigger of the gun between them.

"You have to stop," she pleaded, grappling with him. "Let me go, Tig. Let us both go." Tig snorted as he pushed a rough hand towards her skirt.

"Maybe I should just take you back to Belfast instead," he growled. "I could tame you, I could make you just as good as her."

He suddenly winced as the sound of a gunshot echoed through the house. Natasha felt herself scream, unable to comprehend what had happened as Tig fell flat on top of her, unconscious. She scrabbled anxiously, trying to push him away, when Happy suddenly loomed over her, climbing in through the open window. God only knew how long he had been there, but he shoved Tig aside as he wrapped his arms around Natasha, holding her tight.

"I got you," he said softly, kissing her head. Natasha felt herself let go as he cradled her, rocking her gently. She started to cry and Happy rubbed her back lovingly and stared at Tig's still form.

The door slammed open as Chibs shot the lock off and stumbled in to see Natasha in Happy's grip, blood on her clothes. Happy gave him a look to confirm he had her under control, and Chibs moved forward to Nina. He barely looked over Tig, and he grimaced as he glanced at Nero.

"Call an ambulance," he muttered grimly. "We'll get her out of here first. Let the police deal with him."


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N - Isn't it funny how, when you panic, you do what you think is the right thing to do but sometimes it really, really isn't? The first part of this is kind of Chibs/Nina fluff (except, you know, she's unconscious) but it's got some of Chibs' thoughts on consequences in it... and the second half, well, just when Jax was beginning to get it right...! ;) S x**

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><p>Chibs fumbled with the keys in the lock of his front door, Nina draped carefully in his arms, her legs hanging over his elbow as he fiddled with the thing to open it. Giving a bump with his shoulder, it swung back and he sighed as he carried her in. "Over the threshold, hey?" he joked to her unconscious form, nuzzling her softly. "Welcome home, sweetheart."<p>

He didn't stop as he walked through with her, just carried her straight up to his bedroom. He should have just kept her here in the first place and never let her go. He lay her down, resting her limb by limb on the bed, and stood for a moment over her. He swore she looked uncomfortable, even in her sleep, and he undressed her, slipping each button of her shirt undone to slide it off her shoulders. He couldn't leave her undressed, if only because he couldn't bear to see the patch work Natasha had done in her body. He dipped into his wardrobe and worked through it to find a soft, flannel button-up, beautiful Scottish tartan print, and smiled as he pulled it out. She liked this one, she liked when he wore it.

"Here you go, darling," he murmured. Carefully sitting her up, he wound it around her, easing her arms into it one by one and then slowly resting her down. Her body was floppy, malleable in his arms, like a rag doll, and he smoothed her hair down as he relaxed her again. His fingers worked to redress her, buttoning over her breasts and allowing her skin to breathe beneath the lower half of the shirt. "That should be a little better, hey?"

She didn't answer, she couldn't, but he wanted to believe that her lips twitched at the corners, anxious to smile. Chibs sat beside her contemplatively, his hands in prayer as he leaned over her, and he closed his eyes. God, that had been close, too close. What frustrated him was his inability to do anything, he had had no choice, Tig had been uncontrollable. And, Christ, what he had done to Natasha...

Chibs saw red as he thought on that. His little girl, his seventeen year old, laid into by that... monster. Tig had treated her like his daughter for a long, long time, how he could hurt her like that made him sick. Natasha had been sure about going home with Happy, letting him clean her up, and Chibs hadn't said no. Happy was faithful to his club and his patch, he knew he could trust him to take of her in whatever way she needed.

"Is this what happens?" he mused as he looked at the sleepy expression on Nina's face. He lay beside her, cushioning his head beneath his hands, his nose inches from hers. "Is this what we've brought them into? Abuse and hate and territorial nonsense?" He felt his heart twinge as he said it. "Your Da did the same to you, I suppose. He never meant it, though. Guess he thought you'd got shot of the life." He ran his finger along the scar on her face, the one Connor Malone had given her in a fit of rage. "And we just dragged you straight back in."

He liked to think she'd laugh at that. God, this was hard, talking to her like this. It felt like she was dead, like her corpse lay beside him, and that same crushing sadness filled him, even though he knew she would - eventually - be okay. Maybe part of her spirit was gone, like when those assholes at Stockton had used her for mockery. His fists balled as he thought on it. Tig knew better, he should have known a lot better than that. He rolled his jaw.

"There'll be blowback," he muttered quietly. "For what happened. Irish won't take kindly to it, you know?" He groaned as he really thought about it. They'd damn near killed the Irish contact, God only knew what happened next. Once Tig was in Saint Thomas, there would be no end of feds crawling all over him. FBI, CIA, NSA, Interpol, they would all want a piece of the action. He gritted his teeth - Tig better stay damn fucking loyal. It would be just like him to try and screw them over in his desperation to get out in one piece. "You think he'd rat?"

SAMCRO were small time, those feds wouldn't be interested in the club. All they wanted was the IRA, if anyone were to be in the firing line other than the Irish, it would be Nina. Chibs rubbed his fingers over his lips, it would be just like Tig to make himself a comfortable little arrangement where he could keep Nina cornered somewhere for his own personal access. The idea made his blood run cold, memories of Stockton flooding his body. All Chibs wanted to do was hold her, it was all he could do too.

"Stupid arsehole," he grunted, irritated as he thought about it for a moment longer. Maybe letting the feds get to him as a bad idea, Tig was volatile at best in this state. If he was alright, that was. Chibs chewed at his nail for a moment before frowning and glancing at his phone for some sort of update. There was nothing there, nobody was probably even there. Nero had been the only man spare and it wasn't likely that he would have given up his evening to stand around at Saint Thomas to find out the fate of his son-in-law.

He could do with ears on the ground. Sitting up for a moment, he thought about it before dialling Thomas. He could hear the sound of Emily giggling in the background as Thomas answered, and Chibs looked up at the ceiling beseechingly.

"Prez?"

"Aye. That Emmy with you?" He didn't wait for confirmation. "Tig, he's at the hospital. Take her there, brother, and don't let her out of your sight for a second, you understand?" The thought of some sort of retaliation at such an early stage made Chibs nervous. "Grab your Da too, take him with you. You might need some back-up." Chibs looked at Nina for a moment before adding, "Keep her safe, Thomas, and keep me up to date."

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><p>Emily was sure she had never run that fast as she hastened through the entrance to Saint Thomas. She slammed her hands repeatedly on the receptionist's desk, demanding attention furiously. The receptionist looked up, she didn't need to even ask, that was quite clearly Trager's daughter, she had that same dark hair and unsettling look in her eyes. Thomas, hovering behind her in his cut, made the club affiliation clear.<p>

"Where is he?" Emily snapped impatiently. The receptionist shook her head.

"He's in surgery." She could see Emily's legs weaken a little as she said it and motioned to Thomas to come and support her. Thomas stepped in, snaking his hand around Emmy's waist to hold onto her, and he kissed her shoulder gently to show his support. "He's on the critical list," the woman continued, speaking more to Thomas than Emily now. "He was shot."

"Shot?" Emily's lips ghosted around the word, awkward and frightened. "By who?"

The receptionist shook her head. "We don't know, we had an anonymous call to pick him up." She motioned to the waiting room, Emily had barely noticed but the place was buzzing with police officers. Eli Roosevelt, looking tired and fed up at being called back into the fray, gave her a defeated smile, knowing he would be the first target for her barrage of questions. "He's got the best surgeons in Charming in there with him, miss, they're doing everything they can. You just need to sit down and wait." Her eyes flicked to Thomas and then Jax as he walked in with his usual swagger. "Any trouble, guys, and you're out."

Jax nodded, overhearing the tail end of the conversation, and nodded. "We got it, darlin', thank you." He put his arm around Emily and walked with her towards the waiting room. Pressing her to sit down, he could see her lost, glazed expression staring around the place. "What can I get you, Em?"

"Where's my Mom?" Emily looked at him, her blue eyes frightening as they focused on him. Jax could feel the anger dwelling in her and he glanced at Thomas, not sure how he wanted to handle her. Thomas scooted over to sit beside her, taking her hands in his, and Emily repeated the question. "Mom, she should be here, where is she?" When nobody answered, she started to try to get up. "I need to call her."

"You need to just calm down, Em," Thomas insisted, moving to sink to his knees in front of her. "You've had a shock, you just need to take a breath."

"Where is she?" Emily demanded, enraged at his patronising tone. "She should be here, she's his wife, she should be here right now."

Jax swallowed as he listened to her insistence. After Tig's explosion at the clubhouse, it was beyond likely that Nina was cowering in Chibs' arms. Swallowing back his eagerness to feed Emily all of the truths about her parents' insane and tempestuous relationship, he slapped Thomas' back and motioned for him to step aside with him. Checking Emily was okay, Thomas got up and joined his father a few feet away.

"What?" he asked, anxious. He could see the frightened expression in Emily's eyes, they had been lying together on his bed just half an hour ago and now she had been thrown head-first into this complete mess. Jax rubbed his finger and thumb over his moustache, down to his beard as he looked at Emily carefully.

"Chibs didn't tell you anything?" he asked. Thomas shook his head.

"Just to get her here and keep an eye on her. Bring you as back-up." He moved closer to his father, lowering his voice. "You think the IRA know?"

Jax didn't want to think about that. They would, soon enough, those micks had ears on the ground everywhere. "We'll get Nina, she can handle Galen. He's always had a soft spot for her, arrogant prick." Jax would never - could never - forget how Galen had asked Nina to choose between his two boys. In retrospect, all he could do was be grateful that she had shot him in their place, but even with that thought, his lips twitched into the slightest of snarls, which Thomas spotted instantly. He took Jax's arm and pulled him to the side, out of Emily's field of view.

"Tell me what happened? Between them. Between all of us, and Belfast." His eyes narrowed. "I know we went, Emily told me, but you've never mentioned it. Why we were out there, what it was about." He gestured around the hospital. "Is this linked to that? Is this because we're mixed up with them?"

Jax swallowed, this was not the time to discuss that particular bit of history. He put his hand to Thomas' face, clutching him roughly and he kissed his forehead. "You don't worry about that for now. You got one duty here, Tommy, and it's look after your girl." He motioned towards Emily, who was beginning to cry in panic at the constant rumble of conversation around her. "I'll call Galen and then get Nina here, you just keep an eye on Em."

Thomas nodded and got to his feet, slipping back to her and Jax watched for a moment before taking out his phone. With Chibs probably tied up with Nina, alerting Galen to what had happened probably wasn't on his list of priorities. Jax sent one, simple message to the Irish burner, sure that it would be a helpful act.

_Contact down, meet ASAP._

With that sent, he dialled Chibs, glancing back to Thomas as he walked out into the hall to get a little more privacy. His voice was low as he waited for Chibs to answer.

"Aye, brother?"

Jax's nostrils flared for a moment. "We're at the hospital, Em's here. I'll keep an eye on her, Prez. Right now, he's in critical, we just have to wait." He could hear Chibs chewing over it and pursed his lips, hoping his next news would put him back in a good position with the boss. "I've let Galen know, he-"

"You _what_?!"

Jax nearly dropped the phone as Chibs roared down it, his voice filling his ear in rage. He clasped at the phone, surprised at such a fierce reaction. "Prez, it's fine, they've got to know."

"You complete moron," Chibs cursed furiously. "What the fuck is wrong with you? Who told you to do that? I certainly didn't." Jax could hear him all but hyperventilating, Chibs knew that the second Galen was in town, Nina was at risk.

"I was trying to help," Jax explained, clenching his jaw, feeling a sense of his mistake settling on his shoulders. "Is Nina with you? Emily's freaking out, she's asking for her, you better send her down here as soon as you can spare her, okay?"

Chibs rolled his eyes, Jax simply had no idea of how complex this all was. If the Irish ever, ever found out that a member of the club had shot Tig, the relationship would be dead and the business finished. It would take some serious work to keep Tig's mouth shut, but while he was in the hospital, it was at least manageable. But Galen, on the ground again in Charming? Christ, he would want answers and the state of both Nina and Natasha would make it clear that there had been SAMCRO involvement.

"You keep your lips buttoned," Chibs demanded. "You don't talk to anyone, Jackieboy, you don't say a goddamn word or I swear to God, I'll kill you myself." He looked down at Nina and rubbed his hand down his face, he'd have to call Nero to stay with her while he went to Saint Thomas. "Take Emily to chapel at the hospital, I'll be there as soon as I can. And not another word, Teller," he snapped. The damage control on this was going to be hell. "You've already messed up enough shite tonight."


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N - There is a Natasha/Happy chapter coming up next, but I just wanted to focus on this one alone for this next post... I just know you'll LOVE the next one, but, in the meantime, Chibs has got a bit of steam to blow off and Emily's about to get ****_educated_****...! **

**This is just a short one as it's a bit standalone, but hope you'll enjoy!**

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><p>Chibs couldn't often feel the weight of his cut on his shoulders but somehow, having to leave the house to deal with club business this time felt like the greatest onus he had ever come across. All he wanted was to stay with his family, but that choice was never his to make with that President patch on his chest. The damn thing was a curse, he was sure of it.<p>

He stalked straight through Saint Thomas to find Emily, Jax and Thomas all assembled as he'd hoped. He nodded to Thomas, ignoring Jax, too annoyed by his stupidity, and Emily jumped up, wrapping her arms around him in a huge hug. She let go of a mighty wail into his chest and Chibs sighed as he cuddled her.

"You're okay, pet," he said softly. "It'll all be fine."

Emily moaned as she looked up at him, her eyes streaming. "They're operating on him, Chibs, someone tried to kill him." Chibs couldn't help but chuckle to himself, if Happy had wanted Tig dead, he'd be dead. "Who would do that? He's linked to the IRA, why would anybody do that?"

"Maybe he was out of line," Chibs said softly. "You know your Da gets a little carried away."

Emily stiffened at that, letting him go. "You would say that, you've never liked him." Thomas reached for her hand to calm her but Chubs waved him away, he could take any lip Emily Padilla could give him.

"You don't know your Da as well as you think you do, lass," he said. "Tig, he's... volatile." He could see his words affecting her, Emily started to grow withdrawn and irritated by his words. Chibs tugged at his beard as he glanced at Jax for some sort of support, this was never the situation he wanted to be in but it was becoming increasingly clear that Emily needed to know the truth about her father's behaviour. "Your Ma-"

"Where is she?" Emily interrupted curtly. "Mom?" Before Chibs could answer, her eyes narrowed and she looked at him accusingly. "Did she send you? Ugh." The look of distaste on her face was clear, her nostrils flared in frustration as her mind jumped ahead. "Are you two fucking again?"

"Emily-" Thomas pinched her elbow a little tighter, trying to calm her when he saw a flicker of anger flitting through Chibs' eyes. "Don't."

She slammed his hand away in annoyance. "Why not? Is that what it is?" She looked at Chibs, furious. "Is that what's going on?" Suddenly, her eyes opened wider. "Jesus Christ, did you shoot him?" Before Chibs could answer, she launched at him, slamming her fists into him. "You! You did this!"

Thomas yanked her off him quickly, grabbing her arms and holding her tight to try and stop her from lashing out again, but Emily wriggled in his arms, trying to get away from him. She squealed and gave him a hard elbow to the ribs to make him let go. He glanced at Chibs for some sort of explanation as he struggled with her, but Chibs wasn't in the mood to humour her. He forced her down onto the pew, motioning for Jax to hold her still.

"He did this! It's always been him. You know nothing about him, Emily, don't you dare try and pin any of this shite on me." Emily snorted with derision and Chibs rolled his eyes. "Christ, you really think he's so amazing, don't you? He's a liar, Em, and he's a violent fucking freak."

Emily's eyes grew dark as he spoke. "Don't you say that," she demanded. "You're just trying to take Mom away from him."

"He never had her!" Chibs snapped. "Me and your Mom were together, we were happy and he _stole_ her. Ask him," he added, shoving his thumb towards Jax. Emily scowled but Chibs wasn't done, he wasn't going to just let this slide. "You know that scar on her back? That reaper? Your _Daddy_, the one that you think loves her so much, he _raped_ her, Emily. He held her to the goddamn club table because he was so desperate to have her. Against her will. He made her bleed, he tore that goddamn emblem into her skin because he was so determined to get his way with her." Thomas could barely believe what he was hearing, but the look on his father's face told him the truth in every word pouring out of Chibs' mouth.

"You're lying," Emily said, disbelieving. "You're so pathetic. They loved each other, you got in the way."

Chibs laughed at that, shaking his head. "You really think that? That they love each other?" He snorted. "Bet you think you were made in some cushy little love bed, huh, Em?" Jax could see where the conversation was going, he tried to rest his hand on Chibs to stop him from saying it but it wasn't going to happen. "She was drugged, and working in a brothel that this bastard here put her in." Chibs jabbed Jax hard in the arm. "You were made in a whore's bed, Emily, because he took advantage of the fact that she was out of her mind high."

"That's enough now," Thomas said, trying to piece all of this new information together. Jax was standing sheepishly to one side, his eyes on his feet, his ugly history pouring out onto the table in front of Thomas. "Prez, please, let's stop now."

"Stop? I haven't even started," Chibs snapped. "Tig's a liar and a con artist. She only went to Belfast with him because Galen made her. She only married him because she thought she had no other choice. I made bad decisions but she left when we just got it right." He was shaking as he spoke, so empowered by his ability to finally get all of this off his chest. He had carried it for too many years. "So don't tell me I got in the way, little girl, you have no idea what I'd do for your mother."

Emily couldn't believe what she was hearing. Stammering, she tried to find something to say but Chibs had been so blunt, she was struggling. Was all that true? It couldn't be, her parents had seemed so happy in Belfast. Had it all been an act, had Nina really just made do because she had to?

"Where's Mom?" she finally managed, the tears in her eyes stinging her. Chibs shook his head.

"He stabbed her, Em. And he laid into Natasha. They're both staying away from him, your Grandpa is taking care of Nina right now. Neither of them are coming here, he's pushed everyone who's tried to help him away." Jax's eyes widened as he heard the words, Christ, Tig had lost his mind. "Happy shot him, it was the only way to stop him from hurting your sister." Emily clamped her hand to her mouth and Chibs shook his head. "Don't be so surprised, sweetheart. He's been asking for it for too long." The weight of his words hit him and Chibs held the heel of his palm against his chest as he looked at Jax, pointing his finger at him. "Calling Galen was a mistake. There'll be feds crawling over Charming, Tig's on an Interpol list, they've been looking for him and other key IRA players for years. We need to keep our distance, all of us." He nodded towards Emily. "Her too," he added, looking at Thomas. "Now she's got an update, take her home. Jackson, get a line of intel from Tara, and nobody steps foot back in here again until we know what's happening. Understood?"

They all nodded slowly, all but Emily, who sat staring numbly at the altar. Thomas put his hand on hers, he'd take care of her, she needed it. As Chibs started back towards the door, Jax jogged over to him and rested his hand on his shoulder.

"Nina, is she okay?" he asked, genuine concern etched in his face. Chibs shook his head.

"I hope so, brother," he said quietly. "Otherwise we got much, much bigger problems to deal with, because I _will_ kill him."


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N - Well, a Happy/Natasha chapter as promised! It may not be as satisfying as some of you hope, I'm testing the waters but let me know what you think! S x**

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><p>"Take a seat."<p>

Happy motioned to the couch, and Natasha held her hand to her ribs to lessen the pain searing through her as she crunched to sit down. Her face was a bloody mess, streaked with red, her skin torn to shreds by the rings Tig had been armed with. She closed her eyes, remembering how she used to sit and admire them as a child. For hours, she would sit on his lap and turn them around and around on his fingers, feeling out every detail and hearing his stories about each and every one. She never for a second imagined those stories would be mapped into her face as they were now.

"You'll need this." Happy put a bottle of Jack on the table and two hefty shot glasses beside it, before lifting a little tin from the drawer. He frowned as he opened it, studying, before pulling out a suitable joint he had pre-rolled. "And probably this." Natasha smiled a little.

"I don't do drugs," she said with a disapproving raised eyebrow. Happy shrugged, unphased.

"It's medicinal." If she didn't want it, he would have it. God, what a goddamn night. He lit it, gripping it between his lips as he did, and took the first, satisfying drag as he pulled out his kit. It was cruder than the one Chibs had at his place, but Natasha was relieved to spot some rubbing alcohol and tape. That would have to do.

"Does it need wire?" she asked quietly. Just asking the question made her feel unwell, she never thought she would be in such a position. "It feels like it does."

His thumb brushed carefully over one of the sore spots and Happy could see her wincing beneath his touch. Maybe he was being heavy handed, surely something so small didn't hurt that much. He checked himself, reminding himself to be sympathetic, she was just a girl after all.

"These should be fine," he said, waving the butterfly stitches at her. "Wire will scar. Like your Mom's." He shook his head. "I don't want that for you."

Natasha blushed a little as he edged her to the front of the couch, drawing her knees closer to his chest as he sat on the floor in front of her. Happy carefully poured some of the alcohol onto a cloth and slowly, gently started to work his way over her wounds, rubbing them to cleanse them and wash the blood away. Tash hissed, backing away a little but Happy simply held her hand for a moment to help her refocus.

"It'll take some time, kid," he sighed. "I'm sorry."

She reached for the joint from between his lips, maybe she should just take one hit. Holding for a second, she looked at him. "This'll really help?"

Happy nodded. "I can help you try, if you don't want to smoke it." He guided her hand to his lips and took a drag before leaning towards her. Pressing his lips against hers, he eased her mouth open with his thick, velvet tongue and exhaled the smoke into her mouth. Natasha whimpered at the combination of his confident kiss and the sensation of the haze in her mouth and chest, it made her suddenly feel calmer, and cooler. Happy's palms rested on her thighs, and he touched his nose to hers just briefly before rocking back and continuing with his work.

Natasha stifled a giggle, no way was she here with this big, threatening monstrosity of a man kissing her so sweetly as he tended to her. She screwed her eyes closed but didn't flinch this time as Happy smoothed the first sticker onto her, and then another. He worked diligently, focused on her, rolling the smoke between his lips as he shifted around her.

"He really fuckin' let rip," he muttered, his expression darkening as he said it. Happy had never done a patch like this before, the guys had leathery skin, hide thickened by years of the rough club life. Natasha, with her soft, pale caramel skin, had suffered from the attack.

"How long were you there?" Natasha ventured quietly. "Watching?"

Happy flicked his eyes to hers for a second before looking at her cuts again. "I saw you get his gun. When he hit you, I couldn't get a clear shot, I wanted to, but..." He shook his head, he'd had to wait, no way would he have risked Tash's safety. "When he tried to-"

He didn't have to say it, she knew. He could see from the cold, detached look in her gaze that Tig's disgusting proposition of taking her to Belfast in Nina's place was playing on her mind. She could almost feel Tig's hands trying to get up her skirt, the thought made her skin crawl and she shook her head to try and get rid of it.

"Don't," she whispered quietly. "Please."

"He's not here now, Tash," Happy assured her, sitting up and resting his hands on her shoulders. "I didn't kill him because of the club, but I would have. If he'd done that... to you..."

As he pressed down the last bandage over her nose, he followed it with a fleeting kiss. Natasha giggled, resting her hands on his shaved head and rubbing her fingertip against the head of the snake tattooed on the top of him. Happy paused for a moment, enjoying her touch, before his eyes glanced up to hers.

"You want to lie down or something? Shower?" He wasn't used to this, trying to take care of someone. Happy would normally get his fuck in and then kick the girl out, actually wanting to host someone was very unusual. Natasha nodded, sitting upright.

"A shower, that could be good," she murmured, suddenly feeling shy in his presence. Happy was so kind to her, he had no reason to be but she loved the way he cared about her.

He took her hand and led her through the simple apartment. The place was basic, barely decorated and only with the most vital bits of furniture. Happy frowned as he looked for a second towel before realising he didn't have one. He took his own, shaking it out.

"You can use mine," he offered, handing it to her. Natasha smiled as she accepted it, draping it over her arm.

"Thanks, Hap." She stroked his cheek gently. "Why'd they call you that?"

He shrugged a little, leaning against the doorframe as he watched her start to undress, peeling her clothes away and trying to avoid exaggerating her injuries further. "Just my name," he said. He gave her a smile and she laughed, running her hand over his head.

"Well it suits you," she said. "Because you make me happy."

Christ, why'd she have to go and say something like that? Happy watched as she folded her shirt neatly on the bed and stood there in just a camisole and her skirt. He wet his lips for a moment as he looked at her, unable to ignore her affectionate little comment. Boldly he stepped forward and kissed her, one arm holding her while the other pushed the hair back from her eyes. Natasha murmured contently into his mouth as he leaned down to kiss her and, unsure what to do, she gripped onto the sleeves of his white tee.

Happy swept her up almost instantly, turning her and lying her on the bed in one smooth move. God, the things he could do to her but she was so young, so naive, it didn't seem fair. His hands ran along her side, caressing her and tracing over the curves of her breasts as he kissed her again hungrily.

"When you pulled that gun out, Tash, I swear..." There was a grin playing on his lips. "I knew you were one of us."

Her eyes glowed at that. One of us. What a thought, Natasha had never really considered how very much a part of the club she was but it was in her blood, that instinct, to react, it was within her. For some reason, the thought made her purr aloud, and the little sound made Happy monumentally hard for her. She coloured as she felt him growing against her, pressing into her, and shyly slipped her hand down towards him.

"Take it easy," Happy groaned, the sensation of her already too much. "I don't want to rush you."

"You're not." Natasha's gaze smouldered as she looked up at him from the bed. She looked like a goddamn gazelle, doe-eyed, blinking up at him from between his paws. She was his prey, and she wanted him to take her. "I'm good."

Happy couldn't help but smile at that. "Yeah, you really are." He buried his face in the crook of her neck, kissing her rapidly as his hands explored her body and he growled out loud as she sank her hand into the band of his jeans. As Natasha kissed him, she started to slip her fingers back and forth, stroking him, pulling him right to the edge so quickly. He exhaled heavily as her skin touched his flesh, and he looked down for a moment. "What do you want from me? You can have anything you want, Tash, I swear."

Natasha leaned up on her elbow, her fingertips moving slowly up his chest as she gazed up at him. "I want to be yours," she whispered, so in love with the idea. "I want you to make me yours."

Happy didn't need telling twice. He started to ease her skirt up, his rough hands dragging along her butter-soft skin as they went, and he muttered with pleasure as his fingertips brushed against her underwear. Fuck, she was so young and pliable and his to take, the way she looked up at him with such desire made him shiver. As he started to hook his fingers into her panties, he cursed as the phone in his pocket began to ring. It vibrated against Natasha, and she giggled.

"Is that your technique, or do you need to get that?"

Happy's eyes rolled back in his head in frustration as he fell onto his back beside her, tugging out the phone. Chibs, of course it was, he was probably watching. "Prez." Natasha laughed and clamped her hand over her mouth as he answered. "Yeah?"

"I need you at the club," Chibs said shortly. "You patched Tash?"

Happy looked at her for a moment, she was lying dreamily on her back, just waiting for him to come back to her. He stroked his hand over her body and nodded.

"Yeah." He'd nearly done a lot more, too. "I'm on my way."

"Bring her too, we should get everyone here," Chibs said assertively. "Irish are on their way, I think we need to lock down. Whatever you're doing, finish it later. I need my club together."


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N - I am away at the moment but squeezed in a little of the lockdown for you guys! European SOA fans, let me know if you're coming to the Reapercon in Paris in the Spring, would be lovely to meet you all!**

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><p>The club was already buzzing with people by the time Happy arrived with Natasha. He kept his hand clamped on hers, he wasn't letting go for love nor money. For the first time as she walked into that clubhouse, Tash felt like a grown up, able to hold her own. It was as if she belonged here now. Maybe it was what had happened with Tig, or what Happy had said, what they had nearly done... but Natasha was an adult now, and part of the SAMCRO family.<p>

"Thank you," Chibs called out, coming over and slapping Happy across the back as he moved to tilt Natasha's chin up to see the patch work. "Clear?"

"Should be fine, Prez," Happy said, nodding as he squeezed Natasha's fingers in his own. Chibs glanced down at their entwined hands for a moment and pursed his lips, he didn't want his Natasha to just be one of Happy's passing fancies but right now, he barely had the time to argue. He gave Happy one look, one warning look that said everything else be needed to, and walked away. Natasha felt herself audibly exhaling as she glanced at Hap, like they had won some sort of secret battle.

"You think he knows?" she whispered, tiptoeing up to reach his ear. The naughtiest of smiles crossed Happy's lips for a brief second.

"He'd kill me if he did, we're okay." Happy gave her a squeeze. "We'll be here a while, you want a drink?"

Natasha shook her head and looked around the bar. She could see Tara with Abel and Sully with her. Gemma seemed to be downloading on Jax while Thomas stood by, keeping a watchful eye on his family and a hand on Emily's shoulder. Natasha paused as she looked at her sister, she seemed a mess. Her eyes, usually so full of flirtatious mischief, seemed dull and dark, and Tash motioned to her. Happy nodded and let her go, with a quiet warning of 'be careful' as she went.

Natasha pulled up a stool and set it in front of Emily as she sat down. It took Emily a moment to focus on her face, to recognise her in her state, but when she did, her pupils dilated wide as she studied her. "Fuck." She didn't move to touch her, or comfort her, Emily simply stared. Her eyes rolled from bandage to bandage, the bruises were already beginning to stain Natasha's skin. "Dad did that?"

"I'm worried about him," Natasha said, her tone perfectly reasonable as she spoke. Emily's nostrils flared and she glanced accusingly towards Happy.

"He's not your father, you don't need to worry about him. It's your fault anyway," she said dismissively, waving her hand in Natasha's face. "You shouldn't have been encouraging Mom with Chibs, that was a shitty thing to do. Everything Tig's ever done for you? Your cushy life in Belfast?" She rolled her eyes dramatically. "So much for, like, honour, Tash."

Natasha bristled, uncomfortable at such an accusation. "Don't say that," she said with a frown. "I just want Ma to be happy."

Emily's expression furrowed. "Yeah, well, now my Dad's in hospital, so thanks a lot."

She got up and stomped away to the apartment, irritated by even such a brief conversation. Just great, Natasha sighed, Emily was already enough of a bitch without this to hold over her head. She pinched the bridge of her nose and started away when Thomas stepped in.

"Hey." He caught the crook of her elbow gently in his hand and smiled, setting her at ease straight away. "Just ignore her, she doesn't mean to be like that, she's had a rough day." Natasha laughed a little and Thomas turned red. "Not that yours hasn't been equally... I mean, Chibs told us what happened and- ah, shit." He looked bashfully at his feet, his skin flooding with a deep blush. "I'm just glad you're okay, Tash."

"Don't be too nice, you'll upset Her Majesty," Natasha chuckled, motioning to the apartment door. "But thank you." Thomas gave her a wink.

"We're family, right?"

They both looked up as the front door was knocked open and Nero came in, Nina draped carefully over his arms. Chibs bustled forward to take her, but Nero shook his head. "All this moving her, mano, you're gonna hurt her worse inside."

"Aye, this should be the last one until I get her home," Chibs promised, guiding Nero over to the couch and shooing away the Teller family to allow him to lie Nina down. Nero leaned carefully over to deposit her and sighed with a sense of relief as Gemma rested her hands on him. "Just need everyone here."

Nero looked skeptically around, with a club full like this? It only meant one thing. "So, uh, you expecting some trouble, ese?" He crossed his arms as he looked at Chibs, his black cardigan pulling tighter around him. "I mean, getting them all in..." Chucky swung past him with a bottle of beer and pushed it into his hand. "Everybody getting... comfortable? We expected here for long?"

Chibs didn't know the answer to that. He twisted the hair on his beard between his fingertips, looking longingly towards Nina. He could really do with her right now, reminding him that he had this job because he was good at it. She had always been his cheerleader, so supportive. Chibs could just do with her reassurance right now, but instead she was passed out, a serene, sleepy look on her face.

"Just waiting to hear from someone," he said as assertively as he could. "As soon as I've got that, I can give you more."

Nero gave him a skeptical frown. "Sounds... ominous, Prez. My girls going to be okay?" He gestured behind him to Natasha, who was talking quietly with Tara about medication for Nina. Chibs nodded and patted his arms.

"You got my word, Nero." He glanced up to see Emily slinking sulkily to the bar to get herself another drink. "Maybe you could talk to your grandkid, though. I lashed out a bit, gave her a, uh, history lesson, about her Da." Nero cringed, Emily was a madam at the best of times but being put in her place by the man who had been her so fatherly to her as a child was probably crushing. He nodded and patted Chibs' arm as he crossed to join Em.

Bumping her with his elbow, he reached over the bar to get himself a drink. Emily ignored him, and Nero, after a moment, dropped his arm around her shoulders.

"What's up, little mama?"

"I don't know," Emily scowled. "My Dad's on the critical list and my slutty Mom's passed out on the couch?"

Nero had to bite back his annoyance at her, Emily was just striking out, that was just her way. "Bit harsh, don't you think? Your Mom, been a fucked up kinda day." Emily frowned and pointed at Chibs.

"Don't think I don't know he sent you. Too fucking scared to talk to me himself?" She furrowed her eyebrows. "You're all a joke. Dad's the only one with any conviction."

Nero couldn't believe what was coming out of her mouth. He shook his head. "_Conviction_? Christ, Emmy, what conviction is there in stabbing someone? Your Dad, he's not well. Up here." He tapped his temple with his two fingers. "He needs help, we all need help sometimes, he-"

"No offence?" Emily frowned, her tone clearly one meaning to offend. "But you used to be head of a gang, and now you run a whorehouse. I don't think _you_ can lecture me on needing help, _Grandpa_."

She snatched her drink away and walked away, slamming the door of the apartment behind her. Nero put his hands on the back of his head as he watched her go. God, she was as stubborn as both of her folks combined. Emily Padilla was always going to be a force to be reckoned with, but she was much, much worse than he had ever thought.

"You get put in your place, sweetheart?"

Gemma pushed a kiss onto Nero's cheek as she came up to him, and he smiled bashfully. "Just forgot what teenage girls are like, mama," he chuckled. "She's as bad as my babygirl was at that age." He motioned to Nina, sitting beside her for a moment on the couch and stroking her hair. "At least she can't run away to her mother this time."

Gemma paused for a moment, rubbing her fingers over her lips. "But she could run to Dad." God, if Emily were to take her father's side on all this, who knew what would happen? It was a risk they couldn't take. "We have to get Tig back on side, Nero. The shit he could drop the club in? Nina? We need his loyalty."

Nero was already too aware of it. He glanced at Chibs, who was briefing Happy, Juice and Jax on something in an intense, quiet discussion.

"You know there's only one person he'll talk to and she's not exactly chatty right now," he murmured, patting Nina's shoulder. "And your Prez, he's not exactly going to allow it. Me neither, Tig even looks at her again, I'll kill him."

"You'd be joining a long queue," Gemma smiled, trying to relax Nero as she caressed his shoulder. "Your Tig problem's under control until he's awake and focused. The rest..." Gemma trailed off, realising she was saying too much, and Nero drew her aside.

"Why are we here, mama?" he asked quietly. "The lock in? Seems a bit much for a madman who's in the hospital."

Gemma glanced around, leaning closer. "It's not the madman as much as his friends," she warned. Her eyes rested on Chibs as he continued his talk, concerned. He was the focus of Emily's loathing right now. "Both outside this building and... in." Her eyes settled on the apartment door, worried about Emily's loyalties. Maybe she should get Thomas in there to settle her, try and help her find her focus again. "Just, let's try and keep everyone here in one piece, okay? At least until Mrs Trager wakes up."


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N - I've squeezed in a bit of Teller life, some Happy/Tash AND some bickering sisters... So hope you all enjoy! I know Emily's being a bit of a dick right now but there's a reason, and you'll love it when it comes up. Until then...**

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><p>"So we just... sit here?"<p>

Natasha had quite enjoyed the first couple of hours of sitting around with the others. Thomas and Abel had invited her to play a game of cards with them, and they had spent a while thinking they were teaching her how to play poker. Natasha, on the other hand, had grown up in Ireland with a card-counting mother, and had been taking vast quantities of their money with 'beginner's luck'. Now, however, she was a few hundred dollars richer, a little bit tipsy and beginning to get bored.

"Until something happens," Abel said sullenly. "That's usually the rule."

"And what are we expecting to happen?"

That was a difficult question, Thomas and Abel exchanged a look. They didn't know the answer, not for sure. There hadn't been too many lockdowns over the past few years, business had been pretty clean and the Irish had been in hand with Tig at the forefront. Thomas shook a cigarette out of the box and offered it to Tash but she shook her head, declining.

"Normally-" Abel began, but Happy loomed over him.

"We're waiting for retaliation," he said coolly. Natasha craned her neck up to see him behind her and smiled as Happy rested his hands on her shoulders. Thomas, who was probably sitting too close for Happy's comfort, scooted away quickly and Happy dropped down into that spot, one leg on either side of Natasha as he sat to face her. He rested his chin on her shoulder and kissed her ear softly, to both Teller brothers' surprise, and she leaned into him as he continued. "Irish, they're going to blink, we just need to see how hard."

The words filled her with a sense of fear, Natasha felt a chill run down her spine as she looked at the people around her. Her parents, her friends, her family here in America, they were all at risk. No wonder they were gathered here under the auspices of the club. Happy could see her concern and he folded her hand in between his.

"I'll take care of you," he assured her. Thomas' lip twitched as he said it.

"Yeah, we heard that you already did that, brother." Happy's expression didn't change, it was still as straight as ever as he looked at Thomas coolly.

"I did the right thing," he said stalwartly, not doubting it for a second. "If I'd had my hands on him, I'd have killed him for sure."

"So you just shot him?"

They all turned around to see a distraught-looking Emily staring at them. She looked accusatorially at Thomas, like he was conspiring against her, and Happy moved to stand.

"Em, he would have-" He stopped, knowing Natasha wouldn't want to have any more attention drawn to what had happened. "He nearly killed your Mom."

"They had a domestic," Emily muttered coldly, waving her hand at Nina on the couch. "It happens all the time."

"_That_ does not happen all the time," Natasha said, standing up to her sister with a renewed sense of confidence. "You've got to wake up, Emmy, your Da is not himself right now, he's sick, he needs help. You weren't there, he's not being a good man."

"Neither is yours!" Emily spat. "Stealing another man's wife? That's pretty fucking shitty, Tash, so don't lecture me on my father when yours is just as bad."

Their raised voices caught Chibs' attention, but not soon enough. Natasha was fed up, she refused to take Emily's bitchy whining any more. She launched at her, shoving her against the wall. "Stop talking shite about my Da!" Emily, astounded at Tash's move, lashed out at her, her nails tearing at her in fury. The two shrieked as they fell into a full-on fight, and Thomas started to get up to separate them but Abel shook his head, pressing him down to stay put.

"Just enjoy the show, brother," he winked. Happy rolled his eyes at the two of them and charged into the middle of the fray as Chibs did the same. The girls squealed as they slapped at each other like only sisters could, both catching a few good blows from the other. Strong-arming Natasha and hoisting her back, Happy nodded to Chibs as he pulled Emily away. Emily barked and turned around, swinging a fierce punch at Chibs which he took on the chin. The smack, though, was heard throughout the bar, and an eery silence fell over the entire club. Emily, panting, stared at them, loathing in her eyes as Chibs touched his lip to see blood on his fingertips.

"Emily-"

"Fuck you!" Emily looked around at them wildly. "Fuck all of you. I don't want to be here, I'm not one of you."

Chibs tried to catch her arm but she raced out of the clubhouse, shoving past Juice as he tried to hold onto her. Chibs sighed as he watched her leave, looking at Nero for a moment.

"Let her go," he said. "She's Tig's girl, the Irish won't touch her."

As the people in the bar began to talk quietly again, Thomas hurried to Chibs, his hand resting on him.

"Prez, can I go after her?"

Chibs shook his head. "Nobody rides alone, Thomas, only crucial journeys. She'll go to the hospital, have your Mom call us when she arrives, it's the only place she'll want to be."

Thomas nodded slowly and returned to his place. Happy was holding Natasha in one arm, the other hand carefully wiping away blood from the split stitches her sister had left her with. Natasha rocked in his hold, her eyes closed, frustrated at herself for losing her cool.

"Come, let's get some air."

Happy tugged on her hand, leading her through the corridor to the ladder to the roof. He encouraged her up it gently, they'd be safe up there, out of the way for a while. Natasha shimmied up the thing quickly and took a deep breath as she stepped out on the top. The evening was warm but she could feel a breeze rustling around them. Happy instantly slipped off his cut and rested it on her shoulders as she stood staring out at Charming from up high.

"Here." He motioned to her to sit, dusting some dirt from the edge. "You got some crazy energy in you right now."

When she didn't move, he scooped his arm around her and pulled her down onto his lap. Natasha sighed, giving over to him, and nuzzled him gently with her nose. Happy smiled to himself, he had seen Nina cuddle so affectionately to Chibs so many times, it felt good to enjoy that same sensation. He closed his eyes, enjoying her scent so close to him, and rested his hand cautiously on her knees.

"She makes me so mad," Natasha confessed silently. "She's just a horrible, horrible person. I knew what a bitch she was but, Christ, she just doesn't understand what he's like."

Happy nodded slowly. "Tig, he's complicated." There was no other way to put it really. "The way he cares about your Mom, it's... different. You don't get it, Sons... when we find a woman who gets us, we don't like to let go." Natasha laughed at that but he squeezed her, he was serious. "Tig, he had an old lady a long time ago. Lost her, bike accident. It took him a long time to let himself love someone again."

Natasha shook her head. "What he feels for her, it's not love."

"I know that." Happy looked guiltily down at the floor. "The night he first slept with her... he drugged her, Tash. I never thought anything of it, he was just fucking around with some coke, E, roofies. I didn't realise it would start all of this..." He glanced up at her. "I never told anyone that. That I knew, without even realising, what he'd do to her." He held her, suddenly terrified that she would move away from him. The weight of his secret had clearly been on his head for too long. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

To see this older man crumbling before her eyes made Natasha only want to hold him tighter. She stroked her hand over his head, running her fingers over the shaved hair on him. "Don't be sorry. It was a mistake. You were never to know it would get this bad." Her hand dwelt on his cheek as she led him towards her for a kiss. Happy pushed his mouth against hers, gentle at first but then with more commitment.

"What happened isn't on you," she whispered assuringly. He wasn't sure but nodded anyway, and she kissed his forehead. "Hap, it was twenty years ago."

"I've done a lot of bad things in that time," Happy confessed quietly. "None of it bothers me as much as that does."

"Then you're forgiven," Natasha replied softly. "I know my Mom pretty well, and I know she would forgive you. She..." She laughed. "She loves, with all of her heart. Tig can't give her what my Da can, now she's here she doesn't want to just settle."

He nodded. "She deserves better than that. You do, too." He stroked her hair, twirling the soft brown waves beneath his fingers. Natasha just felt so right on his lap, he could hold her like that all goddamn day. "Let me do right by you."

There was something so serious about his request. Natasha tilted her head to the side quizzically, it felt like too much but something with her just wanted to agree. "What are you asking, Hap?"

"I got this need." He clutched his palm to his chest. "To take care of you. It hurts, here, when I don't and I hate it." Natasha rested her hand on his and he entwined his own fingers with hers. "I want you to be safe here, in Charming. And I want you to stay." He smiled, a hopeless sort of smile. "Please stay."

Natasha wasn't sure what to say. Right now, she had no idea what was going to happen, with Tig in the hospital and Nina out of commission, she couldn't see anything happening but her staying in NorCal. She nodded, slowly at first but then sure of herself. "I would love to," she whispered. Happy grinned as he tossed her up from his legs and swung her around so she landed, straddling him. He bent her back low, kissing her again, making her giggle at his grand, romantic gesture that seemed so alien from him. His hands held her waist, his thick thumbs supporting her spine as he dipped her, sucking her lower lip gently. Whatever this kid did to him, he couldn't get enough. If it was up to him, he would never, ever let her go.


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N - Just a short one as I am in transit today but I think you'll enjoy it. Happy fans, your Christmas present is arriving tomorrow so make sure you find some time to read tomorrow night! Christmas gift requests welcome... Let me know what you think of this one! S x**

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><p>Tara locked the door to her office quickly and leaned against it, her eyes closed in relief as she heard Jax's voice. She pressed her head back, stretching her neck as she held the phone to her ear.<p>

"He's out of surgery."

She could hear Jax passing the message on before returning his attentions to her. "How is he looking?"

"Stable, for now." Tara wrinkled her nose as she glanced towards the door. "We're still monitoring him, we will be for at least the next twenty four hours. Jax, what happened?" She could tell he was hesitating. "I know you know. He was shot in the back, a millimetre out and he'd be dead. I know one of you guys did this."

"It's better that you don't know, I swear." Jax scratched at his head as he looked around. "You're okay there?"

Tara nodded. "Police are still here. Probably six? Roosevelt too."

Jax pursed his lips, at least he knew he could trust Roosevelt to do the job properly. "I can come over. I'll bring Abel, Juice-"

"No, you shouldn't," Tara said quickly. "I need you to stay with Sully, I don't want him without either of us, Jax." She could hear Jax starting to object and she shook her head. "No, not Gemma." Her tone told him that was the end of the discussion. "You guys are all safer at the club."

"I don't want you on your own on duty, Tara," Jax reiterated. "Irish, they're going to be pissed, they're going to come looking for him." The truth of his words sank into both as he verbalised them, it was highly likely the IRA would slip into the hospital to come and assess Tig's situation themselves. Tara had no choice but to be at work, Jax would have to persuade Chibs to let someone go and accompany her. "I'll get someone there, okay? Twenty minutes, tops."

Tara felt herself relax for a moment, just hearing that made her feel a lot better. She didn't like to admit her fear, the constant fear the club kept her in. She thought she would grow out of it as the boys grew up, but it still haunted her, now worse than ever. She saw the light above her desk flicker for a moment and swallowed.

"Twenty minutes," she nodded. "Thank you."

"I got you," Jax assured her. "I love you." Tara's lips curled into a relieved smile.

"I love you too, Jax."

She clicked off the call and took a deep breath before straightening her doctor's coat and heading back out into the hall. Walking through, she passed by reception and took a quick look at the sign-in sheet. Her finger scrolled down the list, looking at the familiar names of people visiting their checked-in relatives. She paused as she saw an unfamiliar name scrawled in red ink. _Emily Trager_.

"Oh God."

Tara looked up towards Tig's recovery room, no doubt Emily would already be in there with him. Jax had warned her that Emily was en route but she had hoped to intercept her, fill her in and keep her calm, but now there would be no chance. Tig looked like he was in a horrible mess, the bandages across his body looked much, much worse than they were. The last thing Tara needed was Emily in a panic.

She knocked once then twice before entering, and smiled as she saw Emily seated on the edge of Tig's bed. It felt so eerily reminiscent of Tig by Nina's side, the same defensive, possessive pose, carefully watching. Emily barely moved on Tara's entrance, she just closed her eyes.

"Em," Tara said gently. "You shouldn't be in here, he's in recovery. He just needs sleep."

"I'm not going anywhere." There was something in Emily's voice that made Tara's blood run cold. It was an ice tone that was unsettling to hear, and Tara stepped around to face her. She reached to take Emily's hand but she drew it away before Tara had a chance. "You should go home, doc."

Tara rubbed her fingers over lips for a moment. "I'm on duty, Emmy. I know you're worried about him, but he should be okay if he rests, he needs to not move for a little while. We've got him on the best meds, while he's still on critical, I can keep getting him the better stuff. Even then, the feds will want him in the best shape, they'll make sure he's fully healed-"

"-before they ship him to a cell?" Emily looked up at her, her blue eyes sparkling. "Thanks. We really appreciate that." The sarcasm dripping from her voice made Tara uncomfortable, she shifted from one foot to another.

"Emily-"

Emily gave her the cold shoulder as she held onto her father's hand. "I told you, you should leave."

Tara opened her mouth to object when Eli Roosevelt came in in a hurry. He looked at her anxiously, his eyes connecting with her for a brief second before he spoke.

"Doctor Knowles." He leaned against the door for a moment, holding it open to the hall. "Thank God you're here, I thought-" His expression changed as he saw the eery calm on Emily's face. "You both need to come with me, now please."

Tara frowned, glancing past him into the hall to see a handful of doctors hurrying past. She swallowed and looked at Emily. "What's going on, Eli?"

Just as he moved his mouth to answer, there was the sound of a gunshot and blood spattered across the hospital linoleum. Eli fell to the floor, his face to the ground, dead. Tara allowed herself a scream as she saw Galen appear in the door, a dark smile on his face. He was looking at Emily, who waved at him with the same innocence she had had as a child. As Emily stood up to greet him, she slipped past Tara, whispering,

"I told you you should leave. Now you'll just have to stay."


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N - Merry Christmas Eve, fanfic family! Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas, whatever you are up to. Sometimes we don't choose our family but all Sons fans know the family we do get to choose are the best. Or the craziest ;)**

**A few little things happening in this chapter, a few of the requested gifts... It's quite a long one as I won't post on Christmas Day but I'm sure we'll check back in on Boxing Day! So see you then, and have a Happy Christmas!**

**S x**

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><p>Emily wrapped her arms around Galen's neck as she squeezed him in a hug. He kissed each of her cheeks and then pushed a kiss on her lips in greeting. It made Tara feel sick to watch the way Galen interacted with Emily, but Emily didn't seem to care. For the first time since she'd arrived, she looked genuinely happy. Galen stroked her hair for a moment before he let her go, taking her hand.<p>

"How's your Da?" He didn't need to ask, he could see the state of him. It looked like Tig had gone a couple of rounds with Mike Tyson before receiving and out-and-out shot to the chest. Emily shook her head, she didn't even really want to look at Tig, the sight made her nauseous and nervous. What if he wasn't okay?

"Uncle Galen, they hurt him." Her tone was a whiny, petulant one that filled Tara with dread. It was the kind of tone that was asking for trouble. Galen stroked Emily's cheek adoringly.

"Who did, pet?"

Shit. Tara had to move fast, there was no way she could let any member of the club land on the wrong side of the Irish, whatever had happened. Stepping over Eli's crumpled body on the ground, she moved towards Galen and pushed him back towards the door to try and get him to leave. "You can't be here. There are cops throughout this building, feds too. You need to go, now."

Galen caught her wrist roughly and tightened his grip on her as he pulled her close to look at her more carefully. Those sharp features, dark hair? He knew them from enough accounts. "You're Jackson Teller's old lady, aren't you?" Galen mused as he looked at Tara with genuine interest. She could be useful in this whole debacle, there was no way Jax would let Chibs ignore the Irish calls with his wife in the middle of everything. When Tara didn't answer, Galen tilted his head as he looked at her, waiting for her to speak. When she didn't, his eyes narrowed and he dug his nails into her arm. "You should be more polite, young lady."

"Don't hurt her," Emily called across, fearful as she saw the look on Tara's face. Galen turned to glance at her and she shook her head. "She's a doctor, she's helping my Da."

Soft, these girls were all too soft. Galen forced a smile and let go of Tara as he turned to brush his fingertips against Emily's face once more. "Aye, anything for you, little one." He motioned around the hospital. "You don't need to worry about those cops, Doctor, they're all… immobilised." He kicked at Roosevelt with a smirk. "It'll just seem like a couple of madmen holding up a hospital, everything else is smoke and mirrors, nobody needs to see the wizard."

Emily smiled at that, that was so typical of the Irish. She returned to her post by Tig, taking his hand in hers and kissing it gently. "It's all alright, Da, Uncle Galen's here to fix everything." She looked up at him. "You are going to fix everything, aren't you?"

Galen grinned. "Oh yes, don't you worry." He tugged his gun from his belt and lifted it towards Tara, the look in his eyes one that she wasn't about to question. "Call Jax. I want him and Chibs here, now. Nobody else," he added, his eyes narrowing. "I'd hate to have to hurt you when my Emmy asked so nicely."

Tara ran her hand down her face before she nodded, putting her hand in her pocket for her phone. Damn it, there was some phrase Jax had given her, something she was meant to say when she needed him to know there was a problem, but all of the drills and all of the planning slipped out of her mind as she anxiously dialled his number. Galen narrowed his eyes as he watched her, motioning for her to hold the phone out.

"Speakerphone."

He fell silent as he heard Jax answer, winking at Emily as he did. Tara exhaled heavily, trying to think what to say. "Yeah, it's me." Christ, what was it? She couldn't remember for the life of her. "I think you should come to Saint Thomas. You and Chibs."

Jax was quiet for a moment as he soothed a crying Sully in his arms. "Now? I thought you said-"

"I changed my mind," Tara said abruptly. "Now, Jax, please."

She hung up quickly, worried that he might say something about the consort she had already asked for, and looked at Galen expectantly. He beckoned to her and prised the phone from her fingers, slipping it into his top pocket. "Thank you." He looked at Emily. "If only everyone could be as obedient. I asked one thing of that mother of yours, just one thing. All she had to do was keep him happy and now…"

Emily huffed in annoyance. "Don't. And Natasha's so fucking defensive of her, Uncle, talking about love and destiny and all that crap. Chibs should never have-"

Galen waved his hand. "Don't you worry about Filip, love. The Irish have a long history of dealing with that Scottish prick." He smiled, his expression one that made Tara suddenly very nervous. "Taking his lovers away is the best way to keep that soft bastard in check. If I'd known you'd intended to come back here…" He trailed off, his eyebrows furrowing. "I bet she wanted that, didn't she?" He pinched his lower lip, he'd kill whoever did this without a doubt. Tig had kept life with SAMCRO running at an even keel, this sudden turbulence wasn't to be overlooked. Someone had set those wheels in motion, and it was just like Chibs to play Don Juan and try to win back his girl. Galen just never expected him to go to such lengths to secure his success. "Was it Chibs? Who did this?"

Emily didn't answer, and in that brief moment, Tara wondered if her loyalties still lay with the club. She looked beseechingly at Emily, the girl who had all the power in the room, begging her not to out whoever might have done this. Emily rubbed her finger on her lip and shook her head.

"I don't know, Uncle," she said quietly. Even she didn't want to think what Galen might do to Happy if he knew. "The police got an anonymous call, Tara called the club the second he arrived." She looked at Tara. "Didn't you?"

Tara swallowed, nodding slowly. "Yeah, I did." Emily smiled assertively.

"And then Jax called you." Tara felt her heart falling, he did know, of course he knew. Galen sneered for a moment before he nodded, believing the story entwined between the two of them.

"It doesn't matter," he mused. "We can restore order soon enough." He settled his eyes on Emily now. "You should call Nina, I want her here, now." It was Emily's turn to panic now, and she gave Tara that same look, not sure how to answer. "All those years of keeping her legs crossed to anyone but these bikers. Well…" He smiled a little as he corrected himself. "Except those who took what they wanted."

Emily shrank down at those words, the very idea making her feel queasy. "Mom's, uh, not well," she said quickly. Galen laughed.

"What, she have a stomach upset? You heard me, Emmy. I want her here." He crossed his arms. "I want to make things very, very clear to her so we have no more mix ups."

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><p>There seemed to be a little bit of a commotion in the clubhouse as Jax and Chibs were called away to attend the hospital. With Juice and Rat already making their way across to Saint Thomas, the club was feeling a little thin on the ground for club members. Bobby and Abel were able to tend to most things, and Thomas had been thrown in the deep end with patched member duties but he seemed to be embracing the opportunity, much to Gemma's glee. Happy, on the other hand, was, for the first time in his entire life, shirking responsibility. Keeping to the edges of the club, he winked at Natasha, motioning for her to slip to the apartment on his silent count. He motioned with his fingers when Nero turned his back on them, and Natasha slunk quickly into the apartment, disappearing from sight.<p>

She waited anxiously, sitting on the edge of the bed, her eyes on the door as she waited for someone to bust their rendezvous. She had seen her father and grandfather conferring before Chibs left, it was probably a strict set of instructions about keeping an eye on both Nina and Natasha now Emily had bolted. Her heart was beating fast, sure they would be caught. She knew she wouldn't be the one to get the bombast, it would be Happy who would receive the clout and the she'd just get the lecture.

"Hey."

She almost jumped out of her skin when Happy appeared from behind her, and she laughed a nervous, dorky laugh as she went to lock the other door. Happy bolted the outside door quickly before meeting her at the bed. How the hell was he so worried? Happy Lowman had screwed a lot of women in his time, _a lot_, but something about Natasha scared him. Maybe it was because she was the President's daughter, maybe it was just because he was so terrified he might fuck everything up.

"Hey." They both looked at each other, uncertain of who might make the first move. Eventually Natasha sat down on the edge of the bed, and Happy took it as his cue. Without a second thought, he straddled her lap, resting his knees on either side of her as he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her, leaning her back, craning her neck as he devoured her lips with his own. God, all those flirty little glimpses in the clubhouse had been driving him insane. Who would have thought smart little Natasha Padilla could be such a tease?

He could feel her nipples pressing against his stomach and Happy groaned as he felt the blood pulse through him, making him rock hard at just the taste of her. Maybe it was something about being locked in with her, knowing that Chibs would lose his goddamn mind if he knew what they were doing under the roof of the club. Happy wasn't a rule breaker, not when it came to SAMCRO, but God, this girl… He shivered as her tongue played on his lower lip, curling against him and making him grunt as he pushed her flat onto the bed. She was too low beneath his legs, he yanked her up, making her squeal and giggle at his dominant move. He pressed his hand over her mouth, hushing her gently.

"Quiet," he whispered encouragingly, his mouth taking its place to keep her silence, his hands roaming up beneath her blouse. Those breasts, fuck, he was sure he would explode as he massaged them under his palms. She was going to give him a goddamn heart attack, he was sure of it. She was leaning up on her elbow, one hand snaking around his neck, tracing the tattoos on his skin with her fingertips as she kissed him. Those pretty little lips, innocent against his…

Happy was already struggling to control himself. He held onto her and rolled over, throwing her on top of him and enjoying the sound of her stifled, guilty laughter. She sat back on his thighs, her hands running over his hard on as it strained through his jeans. Natasha played with the waistband of his pants, tugging at it, her fingernails just lightly grazing the skin of his hip before she pushed her hands up over his taught body. He could feel himself groaning at the touch, he knew that he wouldn't be able to wait.

"Come here." He crunched his stomach, every abdominal muscle tight as he drew his knees up, making Tash slide down to his groin. She whimpered at the feeling of him against her, and Happy hoisted his jeans down over his ass. He pulled on the collar of her blouse, both tugging her towards him and undressing her at the same time. One hand slipped between them, dually pushing his boxers free as he stroked his finger along the seat of her panties before pushing them aside. The sound of Natasha gasping as he bucked up into her was exactly what he needed. She pressed her palm to his chest as she steadied herself, and he growled as he saw her pretty little pink fingernails clutching against him for balance. Jesus, she was like the best fucking kind of candy.

He held her waist, guiding her along his length as he continued to caress her lips with his own. Natasha could feel her breath quickening, her heart slamming at triple speed against her ribcage as Happy filled her. "Gentle," she whispered, barely even able to utter the word. Happy nodded, trying to ease his speed, but Natasha knew what she wanted. She pulled back, holding just the tip of him inside of her as her eyes connected with his and she said it again. "Gentle, Hap." This time, he got it, and he groaned as he closed his eyes, letting her take the lead. Shit, for someone who didn't know what she was doing, she sure knew how to get what she wanted. Hearing her instructions drove him crazy, there was a wild look in his gaze as she pulled on him, dragging him on top of her.

Before Happy could stop her, she wound her legs up around his waist, lifting her ass clear of the bed. Happy pulled her tighter to him, watching her body writhe as he held onto her. She was so sweet but watching her move did torturous things to him, he could feel the need to orgasm already flooding through him. He wanted to hold on but, hell, there was no way. As she arched her back, pressing all of her weight into her shoulders, Happy cursed and thumped the bed, unable to control himself as he gave in. The sensation of him coming made Tash crumble beneath him, her slender frame exhausted by him. She could feel him clambering over her, wrapping his arms around her as he buried himself inside her. He didn't want to stop, not until she had had what he needed to give her.

Natasha's bones felt weak as she finally collapsed back, her body wet and sore in the most wonderful way. She could feel a blissful heat running through her, and Happy's hands, rubbing gently over her muscles as he helped her find her energy again, made her murmur contently. He plied her body with kisses, along her cheek and neck, and Natasha smiled a confident little smile as he held her just right.

"Your phone." Happy pointed to the thing on the nightstand, Natasha hadn't even heard it ring but even the tiniest vibration had Happy on alert. She reached for it and frowned as she saw Emily's name flashing.

"Em? Are you okay?"

Emily's voice was hushed as she whispered. Galen had trusted her enough to make the phone call in private while he 'held on' to Tara, and she had locked herself in a closet to call. "Tash, you've got to get Mom here. I think I made a mistake."

Natasha sat up, tugging the sheet around her. Happy was already beginning to get dressed, ready to get moving as soon as they had to leave. "A mistake?"

Emily rubbed her finger over her lip. "Galen's here. I told him to meet me at the hospital… he wants Mom. Like, now." Glancing towards the door of the closet, Emily closed her eyes, crossing her fingers. God, what was she doing? Was she really going to drag her own mother into this mess at the hospital? She had to, she decided. Chibs would protect Nina, it was Emily's duty to take care of Tig, that had to be her priority. Nobody else was going to do it. "You've got to get her here."

Natasha shook her head. "I can't move her, Em, you saw the state of her. Plus, Da's on the way there and Grandpa-"

"Listen to me." Emily barked now, her own voice terrifying her on her own in the tiny room. "Get her here. Galen's got Tara." Her eyes narrowed. "He'll kill her, Tash, just to get Mom here so you _have_ to bring her." Natasha looked across at Happy who nodded at her. She put her hand to her mouth for a moment before nodding, trembling.

"Okay. Okay, we're coming," she said. "We'll be there as soon as we can."

* * *

><p>"She didn't say why?"<p>

Chibs never really liked being called out, especially when it wasn't for a reason he understood. Jax parked his Harley, slamming his foot down on the break, and shook his head. Tara had been exceptionally vague, it was bothering him. She was usually very clear, it was her way, and they had long ago agreed a system of coded contact in case of emergencies. Her abrupt call seemed all the stranger, but Jax tried not to dwell on it as he looked around at the strangely desolate hospital.

"Nothing," he said. "It's probably Tig, maybe he said something. Those drugs, Prez, he's done enough that he's probably surfing on something."

Chibs chuckled at that and nodded. "Aye, could be." The two of them walked into the entranceway to find it as quiet as the outside had been. Nobody seemed to be around, the receptionist had put a note on her desk to state her return shortly. The two Sons exchanged a look as Chibs rested his hand on his gun. This was too weird for him.

"Chibs?"

He spotted Emily sticking her head out from a door down the hall and he jogged down to meet her. She had a look of uncertainty in her eyes, and Chibs feared the worst. "Is he alright, love?" he asked, his tone full of concern. However mad he was at Tig, he still worried about the stupid bastard. They had been friends for too long for him not to care, even if Trager was the world's biggest dumbass right now.

Chibs was halfway into the room when he saw Galen. He stopped, his hand still on his pistol, but Galen shook his head dismissively, holding his hands open. "Now now, Filip, we're all friends here."

Everything within him wanted to shoot Galen in the head. That smug, arrogant prick had had too much control and had caused too much damage in his time, Chibs couldn't even bear the sight of him. If only the goddamn club didn't need those guns, he would have got rid of Galen a long, long time ago. Instead, Chibs took a breath and raised his hands.

"Aye, we are." He looked at Emily with a sneer. "Most of us, anyway."

Galen chuckled as he saw the look on Chibs' face. "Little madam running you around, is she? Seems like it must be those genes." Emily blushed a little as Chibs frowned, he didn't want to think about any of this right now. All he needed to know was what had to happen next.

"Is it just you?" he asked, maintaining his cool. Galen shrugged and gestured around the hospital.

"I've got some extra hands on board, if that's what you mean. I wouldn't try anything stupid, Filip." He motioned to Tig. "I mean, this was pretty stupid, I'm sure you know that already. Messing around with Nina, too. Not the brightest move." He sighed, as if he was bored with this particular conversation. "Why don't you just get on with your life, Telford? You must be bored of waiting for your woman back by now."

Chibs' lip twitched as Jax came into the room. Tara started towards him but Galen put his hand in front of her, stopping her, and Jax scowled as he looked at the situation.

"You were meant to say the code word!" he groaned. Tara rolled her eyes.

"I couldn't remember it, it's been so long," she said, her hands on her hips. "I didn't know, Jax, I'm sorry-"

"It's 'perfect', Tara, 'perfect'." He looked at her crossly. "How could you forget that?"

Galen looked between them and chuckled, glancing back at Chibs. "This is what you want? Bickering, whining, domestic boredom?" He laughed. "I'm sure she tastes sweet, Telford, but I'd go for a younger, less scarred model. Except, maybe that's your thing," he added with a twisted grin, dragging his finger along his cheek. Chibs bristled.

"What is it you want, Galen?" he asked, trying to keep his temper in check. "What happened to him, it was an accident, he lost his shit and got into a fight. None of this was meant to happen, and you-"

"Were never supposed to hear about it?" Galen grimaced. "I want Nina here, and I want you to watch me make it very, very clear that she's to do as she's told." Chibs parted his lips before closing them again.

"You can't keep controlling her, Galen," he said firmly. Galen laughed.

"Don't be silly," he chuckled. "She's an asset, and I've been more than generous with you and your organisation for too long now." His eyes grew dark. "Now I'm very happy to discuss the deal Tig was liaising with the Chinese about-"

Chibs growled. "What deal with the Chinese?"

Galen raised an eyebrow and looked around the room. His eyes settled on Jax with a furrowed brow. "Your club were present, Prez. Ask Jackson, he was there."

Jax froze, suddenly withering beneath Chibs' gaze. Shit. Shit, shit, shit. Things had been so insanely busy, it had barely crossed his mind to actually tell Chibs of that uncomfortable exchange with Henry Lin. He panicked, waving his hands and shaking his head.

"We didn't agree anything. Tig, he and Henry, they had some discussion. It was between them, the Chinese cornered Emily, threatened her into the conversation." He looked desperately at Emily for back-up but she stood in complete silence. "Em, come on, tell him."

Emily didn't manage to answer before Natasha staggered into the room with Nina draped on her arm. Chibs shot forward to catch her, and Galen looked in dismay around the room. Happy kept back, out of the way, unnoticed as the commotion unfurled and Chibs held onto the limp woman in his daughter's arms.

"What the..." Galen looked furious. "What did you do?" His eyes were fixed on Chibs and he jabbed his finger into his chest, edging him back. "What did you do to her?"

There was no answer, Galen didn't wait for one. He snatched Nina from Natasha and tossed her like a rag doll down on the bed beside Tig. Before Chibs could stop him, he snatched up his revolver and trained it on Tara.

"It's very simple," he said. "These two stay together, I don't give a shite about what anyone actually wants. Things have been good, we all know that, and those two together is the way that it works. So you stay away from her, or I'll kill her." Chibs growled and Galen snorted as he grabbed Natasha, pulling her against him and aimed at her. "Then your little girl will step into her place, understood?"

"You wouldn't dare," Chibs muttered, pointing his finger at Galen. "You keep away from my girls, Galen, or I swear to God..."

"What?" Galen unlocked the safety. "You got no options here, Filip. You let Tig have her and business stays with SAMCRO, or everything goes to the Chinese. Everything," he added, taking a long sniff of Natasha's hair and grinning maniacally. "It's simple, you make the choice. What's more important to you, that girl or your club?"


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N - Wow! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all, guys! I've been so sick over Christmas I've actually barely been able to look at a computer screen for more than about ten minutes so my huge apologies for not updating. This isn't too long a chapter, but I wanted to post it before New Year so you had SOMETHING to close 2014 out on, so I hope you enjoy and please please read and review! It's getting messy and you know it'll get worse before it gets better ;) Sara x**

* * *

><p>The silence that hung morbidly in the air seemed to last for an eternity. Natasha could feel Galen's fingernails digging into her through her jacket as he waited for an answer. It should have been easy, Chibs should have just said the club there and then but when he didn't, nobody in the room knew which way anything was about to fall.<p>

"You need some time to think, old man?" Galen chuckled, waving his hand dismissively at Chibs. "Go get yourself a cup of coffee or something if you want, I think they kept the girl in the cafeteria alive. For now," he added with a smirk. "Take your friend here with you," he added, motioning to Jax. "My guys will be glad to escort you."

Jax had barely turned around before a heavy Irish hand clamped onto his shoulder, pressing the barrel of a gun into the small of his back. He looked at Galen, irritated by the level of distrust, before giving Chibs a more beseeching look. Chibs shook his head slowly, closing his eyes as he rubbed his hand over his lips and tugged at his beard.

"They have beer there?" he asked with a gentle, joking tone to Tara. She rolled her eyes, it was just like him to say something inappropriate like that in such an awkward situation. When a second Irish guard appeared, he tutted and pushed him away, flicking the finger at Galen as he did. "I don't need you damn babysitter, O'Shea, I need a few minutes with my club, that's all." He shoved past them as he walked into the hall. Jax was ushered out after him, with the two escorts behind, and Chibs felt his heels dragging as he tried to weigh up what the best play was.

"Prez." Jax jogged to catch up but Chibs turned around and swung at him furiously. His fist collided with Jax's nose, breaking it and sending a spatter of blood across the white linoleum floor. Jax barked as he held it to stem the bleeding, and Chibs gritted his teeth.

"You should have fucking told me about Lin," he demanded, grabbing Jax's cut and pulling him by the scruff of it up into his face. His eyes looked wild, the pressure crushing everything he had so carefully been trying to balance within himself. "It's all about you, isn't it, Jackieboy? It's all about what you're trying to achieve, all the time."

Jax spluttered as he tried to answer. "Don't, it's not," he insisted. "I meant to tell you, I just never got around to it, something always came up and-" He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, he felt light-headed as he breathed in. "This isn't a game plan, Chibs, I swear."

Chibs wasn't sure what to believe any more. He looked back down the hall towards the room, he could see the two Irishmen walking just a few steps behind them. However much shooting the pair of them in the head might help in the short term, he was sure that Galen wouldn't let their advantage last for very long. "Seems a little convenient," he muttered bitterly, the whole situation making him realise his lack of control. "_You_ in on some arrangement between Tig and Henry, _you_ calling Galen here." He looked at the badge on his cut, the one that Jax had once worn with such pride, and he rubbed his thumb over it as he paced. "Do you really want this back so much?"

Jax had never wanted anything back more than that damn patch, but he shook his head. "You know I would never betray you, Chibs," he said, his voice even as he spoke. Chibs chuckled.

"But you did, didn't you? Before?" He laughed darkly. "Except, now your girl's in the balance too, and you wouldn't dare take that risk."

Jax could feel his throat closing at the threatening tone haunting Chibs' words. He pressed his lips closed before he opened his mouth again to speak, then stopping himself and hesitating. "I want the best for this club, as do you," he said carefully, measuring each word as he said it. "And you know what is best for the club."

Chibs chuckled. Of course he did, it was him at the head of a runaway table. He was convinced that every move Jax made was to regain his position at the gavel, but, right now, however much he wanted to withhold the place from Teller, he wanted his Nina back moreso. They paced in silence towards the cafeteria, a remote little corner of the building, to find a fearful handful of doctors and civilians gathered in one corner. They looked at Chibs in panic, presuming he was part of the problem,.

"I wouldn't worry about me," he sneered, looking at them as he tossed himself down on a red plastic seat and leaned back, his hands in his hair. "Jesus fucking Christ." He stared up at the ceiling, what the hell happened now?

"All of you, down, on the floor," one of the Irishmen ordered. The few people trapped in the room whimpered as they cowered down on orders, and Chibs rolled his eyes as he lit a cigarette, fiddling with one of the metal 'no smoking' signs on the tabletop as he took the first drag.

"It's all just bullshite," he muttered, to himself but Jax was listening intently. "This, all of this. I got two girls in that other room and I'm gonna get fucked either way. What's the goddamn point?" He slipped his hand inside his cut and dragged out one of his blades. Flicking the knife out of its holder, he swung it smoothly and without hesitation beneath the stitching of his President patch and pulled the thing away, breaking the tiny little stitches Nina had sewn way too many years ago. He caught the patch as it fell and tossed it across the table to Jax with a laugh, waving it away. "It's your club, brother, you make your decisions. I have to take care of my family."

* * *

><p>"I like decisive people," Galen mused as he flicked the blind open with two fingers and peeked out. He had shoved Natasha into a seat in the corner and was idly talking to both Emily and Tara, who had no choice but to sit still and listen to him. "You know, when I thought about storming a hospital, I thought the press would be pretty bad. But press, you know, it's easily bought. You know it only cost me a grand to buy some reporter's time to start the rumour mill going? Two mental patients take over the asylum?" He laughed. "Makes a pretty good story."<p>

"You've killed a dozen police officers," Tara murmured quietly. "When they don't call in, they'll just send more."

Galen smiled at that as he turned around and looked at her. "You're smart, I like that." He paced towards her, cupping her cheeks in one hand and pinching them roughly. "You see, the thing is, that's what I'm banking on. Your… trigger-happy friends? Out in the hall, having a little coffee? They'll do what they always do. Shoot to kill. Not think through the consequences. You can't tell a man's Irish once he's dead… so all the police'll be left with are a bunch of living, breathing Sons." He grinned. "That's some bad, bad PR."

Natasha could feel her heart sinking into her stomach, he was trying to set the club up. She looked pleadingly to Emily, who simply stared back at her coldly. "What are you trying to do, Uncle Galen? This can't be the answer."

Galen smiled at her, a sweet yet patronising expression spreading across his face. "I think it can, pet," he said. "You see, my organisation have grown quite fond of this one," he said, patting Tig's foot gently. "But this… mess, with your mother and Filip Telford. It won't do." He sighed a little as he said it. "Chinese are a good viable alternative, the Kings aren't convinced but once they see that SAMCRO are a liability, that they're… unhinged. Susceptible." He nodded, convinced by his own argument. "They'll have their hands forced."

"And you'll just be the puppet-master," Tara whispered. Galen laughed.

"I prefer 'wizard', but at least you get my drift," he teased.

Tara opened her mouth to object when Tig made a gentle, grumbling noise. All eyes fell on him as he blinked for a moment, unaware of his surroundings but sure of only one thing. He broke into a sleepy, disconnected smile as he saw Nina's body beside his and he reached for her with a sense of relief on his face.

"Mine," he murmured happily. "Mine. You're always mine."

Galen laughed, an ugly, loud laugh that sat ill with every single person in the room. He watched as Tig's eyes closed again, his arm now firmly draped around Nina's chest, and Galen rolled his sleeves up as he walked around the bed. Shooing Emily away with just a look, he turned Nina onto her back and extended her forearm, stretching it out in front of him and running his thumb over her flawless skin. "Is that what he thinks you are, huh? His?" He stroked Nina's hair gently as she slept before reaching for Tig's hunting knife from the side cabinet. Unsheathing it, he weighed it up in his hand for the briefest moment before taking it and pressing the length of the blade in one deep slice down against Nina's arm. Natasha started at him quickly, her hands grabbing at his shirt as she tried to pull him off but Galen slapped her back, shoving her towards Tara in an instant. He wielded the knife easily in his hands, pressing the point carefully to Natasha's throat as his eyes narrowed.

"Don't make me hurt you, Tash, you've always been my favourite."

He gave Tara a warning look, one that Tara knew better than to ignore. Despite the fierce struggle Natasha gave, Tara held onto her tight, fearing what might happen if Galen took out his frustrations on her. The young girl whined and whimpered as she tried to break free, screaming at Emily to do something but Em just stood silently by.

"Stop it!" Natasha shrieked, fighting with Tara as she tried to hold her back. "Don't hurt my Ma! You can't."

"She's not yours to protect," Galen laughed as he continued to work the blade in quick, sharp movements against Nina's arms. In twelve sharp strokes, he had carved the crude letters of _MINE_ into her skin. He laughed to himself as he saw the blood trickling down and he looked at Tara as he replaced the knife in its holder. "Wrap it up. She bleeds out, or it doesn't scar? I'll have a message for your throat next, understood?"


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N - This one's a tricky chapter because it's a bit about positioning, but I hope it's okay! Oh Jax, it's not easy being king... sorry to throw you in the deep end, mate!**

Juice kept his back to the wall as he waited for Rat to catch up with him. On arrival at the hospital, Jax had suggested they do a quick scan of the perimeter before wading into the fray, but by the time they had got around the building, Chibs' and Jax's bikes had been parked up out front. Presuming they had the interior handled, Rat had suggested one more walk-around. Juice pressed his head to the wall, the whole of Saint Thomas seemed so weirdly quiet, something had to be wrong.

"Tag." Rat suddenly slipped up beside him with his usual nervous smirk. He glanced around. "You notice anything strange around here?"

"Eery silence?" Juice took out his gun and checked his ammunition before slamming the clip in again. "You see Prez?" Rat shook his head.

"I haven't seen _anyone_," he frowned. "It's a hospital. There should be people everywhere." Juice nodded as he flashed open his cut to reveal another gun pressed to his hip. Rat nodded towards it. "You think you're going to need those?"

"Something's going on. What are you carrying?" Rat lifted the edge of his shirt to show two revolvers pushed into his pant and a hunting knife on his belt.

"I'm good." He motioned to a back entrance to the building, a little staircase which led to the kitchen. "We going to get in there?"

Juice smoothed his cut down and nodded slowly. He picked up his phone, looking at it for any sort of message back from either Jax or Chibs, but there was nothing. "We're going in blind though," he muttered. "I don't know what the plan is, brother." He led the way up the stairs and tried the handle, it was locked but a single shot snapped the lock straight through. Rat motioned with a silent count, and dragged the door open for Juice to start inside. He stopped almost instantly as Happy loomed over him in the dark corridor, a dangerous expression in his eyes.

"Jesus Christ," Rat whispered as they bumped into him. "Where the fuck did you come from?"

"Came with Tash," Happy muttered. "Galen's here. Irish have the building." His face was emotionless as he looked at Juice. "Prez is here, Jax too, they were in with Tig but." He motioned for them to follow him and they walked along the corridor and through into the service area of the kitchen. Pointing through the hatch, the three Sons looked at Chibs as he sat in quiet discussion with Jax, the guards watching them relentlessly. "They've been talking for twenty minutes. Looks serious."

Rat nodded, frowning. "Chibs okay?"

Happy gritted his teeth. "I don't know. We brought Nina here, he's been kinda quiet since then." He tugged a toothpick out of his top pocket and clamped it between his teeth, rolling it back and forth between his lips. "Here's a plan. We take those fuckers out, free the building up, clean out every Irishman we can find."

Juice nodded slowly, rubbing his hand over his Mohawk. "Doesn't it just seem something's off?" Happy wasn't listening, he had taken the first permission and was already setting up the shot. Rat looked at Juice and patted his back as he took to Happy's side, lining up to shoot the second guard. With the two out, at least the club could get together and make a real plan of attack.

"You ready?"

Happy motioned with his hand for Rat to pull the trigger and, simultaneously, Juice watched as the two Irish crumpled to the ground with a thump. The few civilians squirrelled in the corner screamed at the loud gunshots and Chibs snatched for his weapon instantly before seeing the others. He took a breath and nodded to them, motioning for them to come out. Happy gave him a hug and an almighty slap across the back as he greeted him and motioned towards Juice.

"Found them out back." He paused as Chibs pulled Juice into a hug, giving him a grateful squeeze to have him there. As Juice withdrew, he paused and tapped the spot on Chibs' chest where his badge should have sat.

"What's going on?" he asked, looking with confusion between his brothers. Chibs nodded slowly, motioning to Jax who held the badge out in his palm for all to see.

"We needed to make some changes," Chibs said quietly. "I need my girl back."

"So you gave him the gavel?" Rat's eyebrows furrowed, unsure as he looked over Jax. "What about Bobby? He's VP."

"You sort out the politics between you later," Chibs replied, curt now. "All I need is to not have to make the decision, you've got to understand that. Galen, he's got Nina, he'll kill her if she doesn't go with Tig and…" He shook his head. "I can't be wearing that patch when I make my decision. I shouldn't even be wearing a cut," Chibs added quietly. "We need a full club to vote on Galen, but I'll take the burden of a decision on my shoulders if I have to."

Juice shook his head. "No, no way. You know we all support you, Chibs, you and Nina-"

"He's threatening to take the gun trade away," Jax interrupted sharply. "If she doesn't go, Galen's going to hand it off to Henry Lin." Happy scowled.

"He can't, the Kings won't get behind that. Yellow? No." He shook his head. "Not without a reason."

He stopped as his ears became attuned to the sound of a television. Happy looked up instantly to see the group of civilians huddled together around a cell phone, all watching some sort of report on the screen. Striding over quickly, he snatched it out of their hands and held it in his palm so that he could look at it too. The footage was from an aerial camera, showing a bird's eye view of Saint Thomas as it circled the property. He flicked the button to increase the volume quickly, alerting everyone's attention.

_'Reports say that contact with the police officers sent to the scene at Saint Thomas' hospital has now been officially lost, and all methods of communication have been closed. The San Joaquin Police Department have made it clear that they consider those holding up the hospital to be terrorists.'_

The tinny report made Chibs pale as he heard it, this was a disaster. He shook his head as he looked between Happy and Jax. "Kings are going to be pissed."

"I wouldn't be so worried," Happy muttered coldly, pushing the phone in front of him. There was a still shot of Juice and Rat conferring out at the back of the building, their cuts clear as day on the screen. The reporter's voice continued.

_'Local gang members of the Sons of Anarchy motorcycle club have been spotted circling the building, it has not yet been determined if these people - well known to the police and with historical rap sheets - are connected with the disturbance at Saint Thomas. Earlier today, ex-member and IRA correspondent Alexander 'Tig' Trager was admitted to the hospital.'_

Chibs put his hand to his forehead and shook his head, this was going from bad to worse. He looked expectantly at Jax, suddenly grateful to have taken the patch from his chest. "What do you want to do now, Jackieboy?" he asked. Jax pinched his lips, he had no idea. Shaking his head, he motioned for them to follow him.

"We get the girls out, it's the only option," he said, trying to sound as assertive as possible. "Galen said he had ten men here, we've accounted for two, we can clear down the rest. Juice, get a message to the club, nobody else heads this way, they have to do damage control. We take Galen, and we finish this."

As they swung towards Tig's holding room, Jax froze. Panic surged through him as he looked around, Jesus Christ, they were gone, they were all gone. Tara, Natasha, Emily, Galen - even Tig's bed, with both him and Nina on it - they had all disappeared. He cursed loudly as Chibs caught up with him and his eyes tore around the room desperately.

"Jesus fucking Christ, Jackie. Where are they?"

Jax shook his head, his thumb and forefinger running down around his mouth anxiously. "I don't know, brother," he whispered coldly. "But he's got Tara too. Fuck." He punched the wall, that damn patch was cursed, he was sure of it. Shaking his head, he whimpered as the reality sank into him. "We'll find them," he muttered, trying to hold himself together. "They can't have gone far."


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N - Ooh, it's all go! Jax is taking one for the team... Enjoy!**

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><p>Saint Thomas was a decent-sized little hospital, but it still took the club a good half hour to ensure they had combed every square inch of it looking for any sign of Galen and the girls. How he could have disappeared astounded them, and Jax put his hands in his hair as he congregated again at the reception desk with Chibs, Juice, Rat and Happy. Nobody had any sign of positive news on their face, and he sighed, unsure of what to do.<p>

"Someone'll have seen something," he insisted. Chibs shook his head as he leaned on the desk, crossing his arms.

"Jackie, there's nobody here. Not a mick in sight. They've all gone." He gesticulated around the empty hospital. "All we've got are those fuckers in the canteen."

"And whatever's outside," Happy muttered quietly. "If they've sent feds…" He fell silent, they all knew what would happen. Without fault, without guilt, they'd all be arrested and taken in, only giving Galen a bigger advantage to get further away with Tig and the others. Jax tugged at his lip, that damn news report had him worried.

"But we haven't done anything," Juice whined, annoyed as he pushed his hands into his pockets. "For all the shit we've done, I'll be damned if we go inside for something we didn't."

Chibs laughed at that, that was a real SAMCRO attitude. "I don't think we got much choice here," he frowned, looking at Jax for instruction. "We all walk out that door, they'll take the lot of us." He raised an eyebrow at Jax who nodded, he was all too aware of that.

"Then we don't all go," he said. Eyeballing Happy, he nodded, sure that Happy already had his gist. Happy took a breath before he gave Jax the thumbs up, he could take the arrest, being holed up for a couple of days at Stockton or Chino wouldn't be so bad. It would probably be good practice. Jax patted Chibs' shoulder as he looked at him and waved the President badge at him before pushing it back into his palm. "Looks like you're not letting go so easily."

Before Chibs could object, Jax motioned for Happy and Rat to follow him and they headed out towards the front of the hospital. Chibs exchanged a look with Jax, squeezing the badge in his hand and shoving it back into his pocket. "Jackieboy, wait."

Jax paused for a moment and turned around. "Let me pay my dues, Prez," he said softly, slapping Chibs' arm. "They can't hold us, they've got nothing. All this does is buys you time, you need to get out the back, now. I'm trusting you with Tara, Chibs," he said. Nodding towards Juice, he pointed at him. "You get back to Bobby, sort out this mess with him. They'll want bail, get it from Nero, tell him what's going on." Jax looked assertively between the members of his club. "We got this."

Happy grunted in response and they strode out towards the front. Jax glanced back, eyeing Chibs to leave, and Chibs nodded, motioning for Juice to follow him and make their way out towards the back. As they cut through the cafeteria, they could already hear the commotion from the front as police sirens wailed and the sound of some sheriff with a microphone shouting about putting hands on heads echoed around the building.

"What do we do?" Juice asked as they scurried through the corridor towards the door at the back. Chibs shrugged, shaking his head.

"Hope nobody's out the back," he joked, trying to keep things light. He bumped the door open a crack, his gun in his hand, and gave Juice the all clear. Keeping their bodies against the building, they edged around, hiding beside the dumpsters. Juice wrinkled his nose at the smell as Chibs looked for a way to get out. Galen must have got out, somehow, there'd be some trick to use… He slapped his hand to his forehead as he realised it, and waved for Juice to follow.

Jogging through the halls quickly and ducking out of the way of a couple of officers making their way through the building, Chibs motioned towards the garage. Juice flattened himself against the door, jimmying it open and they both ducked in.

"Fucking ambulance," he muttered, kicking his foot at the wheel of one of the vehicles. "Bastard, green micky bastard."

"It'll be fine," Juice said, trying to assure him. "We just need to get out of here." He leaned over the computer, fiddling with the keyboard until the screen lit up and a number of security camera feeds appeared. He pointed at it and frowned. "Which might be easier said than done."

Chibs flared his nostrils. "We ain't got many options here, Juicy." He tapped one of the ambulances as he fished in his cut for a blade and used it to jimmy the lock open. "Where's he going to go with two people who need medical care?"

"He's got Tara, and sounds like Natasha's a dab hand," Juice frowned, fiddling with the computer for a second, looking for any sort of record. "It's not like he needs a professional, he just needs somewhere to hide them." He scowled as he started typing faster. "There's got to be some sort of tracking thing on here, what kind of hospital doesn't know where its vehicles are?" He hunched over the console, bashing it faster as he hacked into the code to be able to look more clearly through the files. "Everything'll have a tracer."

"As will anything we use?" Chibs asked as the bolt clicked and he swung the door open. He was already down on his knees in the footwell, trying to hot wire the thing. "Let's just get away, we can swap vehicles out on the highway." He glanced out to see Juice balancing a laptop on his arm, running a cable into the main computer to download what he was working on. He nodded distractedly as he slammed his hand against the wall, setting the doors opening. Chibs gave him a hand to hoist him up into the seat beside him, and the two pulled the doors closed as Chibs slammed his foot on the accelerator, making it roar. He laughed. "Been a while since I drove one of these monsters," he grinned. "Let's go."

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><p>"What do you think you're going to do, Galen?"<p>

Galen had to be honest, he hadn't really thought that far ahead. All he could do right now was make Tara drive at gunpoint, she was the one who might have the good ideas, she was the one he needed to keep in check. He glanced through the back to see Emily sitting sullenly, playing with Tig's hand as he snored softly in the back. Natasha was hunched in the corner, chewing on her fingernails nervously as the ambulance bumped through the backstreets of Charming out on its way to the freeway.

"You just shut up," Galen muttered, annoyed. God, this Teller bitch was going to get right up his nose, he could just tell. Unlocking the safety before Tara could interject, he pushed the barrel of the gun into her waist. "You got a mouth on you, I don't know how he puts up with you."

Tara scoffed in irritation as she slammed her foot on the brake at a red light. Galen's nostrils flared in frustration as she turned and looked at him. "Because they're not just thugs like you. None of them are." Galen laughed and jerked his thumb towards the back.

"You think that piece of work back there's not a thug?" He leaned menacingly towards her. "He stabbed his wife." Tara gritted her teeth furiously, shaking her head.

"That's not him, he's not like that." The light turned green and she started to move but Galen chuckled, kicking his feet up on the dashboard.

"You don't know anything, do you?" He put one arm behind his head, waving the gun toward her. "There are a few things I can rely on, and that woman making him happy is one of them. Once you take that idiot Telford out of the equation." He laughed and happened to glance in the rearview as he did to see a car racing up behind them. Tara's eyes narrowed as she saw his changing body position, and she glanced in the wing to see Juice and Chibs in a beaten-up hatchback racing behind them. She tried to slow down but Galen pushed the gun against her neck and hard. "Drive faster."

"It doesn't go much faster," Tara tried to explain but got a rough clout for her insolence. Galen snarled as he looked behind him, fuck.

"That prick just doesn't give up," he muttered darkly. "All for her?" He clambered quickly through the vehicle, grabbing Natasha and shoving her towards Emily. "Hold her," he demanded, glaring at Emily. He didn't wait to check the two sisters were secure, he simply kicked the back door of the ambulance open and pulled Nina up into his arm. "You want her that fucking bad? Have her."

He let Nina's body go and watched as Juice swerved hard to avoid running her over. Galen slammed the door again and turned with a vicious expression on Natasha, a snarl on his lips. He pointed behind him back towards the road as his eyes narrowed.

"Anyone want to join her?" Nobody answered and he stalked past them as he got back to his seat and glared at Tara hatefully. "Now fucking drive, you stop even for a second, I'll kill you."

Tara looked in panic in the mirror as she saw Chibs literally throwing himself out of the car in a bid to get to Nina. She could see him bending down in the road, picking her up carefully and holding her in his arms. He nuzzled her softly, fearful over the state of her as he looked to Juice for help, and he stroked her hair as he lay her on the front bonnet of the car. Swallowing, Tara closed her eyes for a moment to focus. She had no choice but to do as she was told.

"They'll find you," she whispered to herself. "You gotta just stay alive."


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N - First and foremost, HUGE apologies for the delay in posting. It's been crazy busy with work - this is my busiest time of year - but I've found some time this afternoon to sit down and write this, and I think you'll love it... but let me know your thoughts! :) Now off to catch up on some reading too ;)**

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><p>"Christ almighty."<p>

Chibs lay Nina down on his bed with an overwhelming sense of relief to see her there. She murmured sleepily as she tried to roll onto her side but Chibs eased her back to lie flat, concerned about the deep gashes in her waist. That fucking bastard, how he could just throw her out of a moving vehicle like that was beyond him. His hand ran lazily along the bandage along her forearm, frowning at it, he hadn't seen that before. His fingertip traced over it and he wrinkled his nose a moment before kicking off his boots and lying down beside her, nuzzling her gently. She'd been asleep for too long, he needed to talk to her, hear her voice. He couldn't believe how much he missed her.

"My sweetheart," he muttered softly, pushing her hair away from her face. He sighed as he looked at the scars on her skin, the lines beneath her eye, along her throat. God, the shit she'd been through. He had never for a second imagined even the tiniest bit of their vast history when he'd seen her in Diosa that first night. He toyed with the ring on her finger, she had stopped wearing it for a while but had put it back on when she'd told him they had to stop. "God, I wish I'd given you one of these."

He clasped her hand in his and drew it to his forehead, closing his eyes. If only he had been more supportive from the outset, there had been so many mistakes he had made, he knew them all so well. They haunted him, constantly, and seeing her trapped in her own body like this was killing him. He looked up as he saw Juice slip in and nod to him, trying to draw him away but Chibs didn't want to leave.

"You won't disturb her," he said quietly. "She's zoned out."

Juice nodded as he edged in nervously. He hesitated for a moment before sitting on the edge of the bed for a moment, but when Chibs sat up, narrowing his eyes, he bounced back up awkwardly and shoved his hands in his pockets. "They're holding them at Stockton. Feds are saying they're a 'risk' at the department." Chibs nodded slowly. "They haven't set bail yet."

"They won't, for a couple of days," Chibs muttered, biting on the edge of his nail. "They'll be okay, three of them. Rat's first time?"

Juice nodded. "Happy there? He'll be fine." Chibs laughed, he was sure of that. Happy knew how to take care of the crew, that was for sure, and the yard at Stockton was like a hunting ground for him, he'd be simply practicing. "We got any more on Tara yet?"

To that, Juice shook his head. "I've still got a track on the ambulance she's driving, they're heading towards Nevada." Chibs mumbled in response and Juice edged forward, leaning his hand on the bedpost for a second before he said, "They'll cut me off tracing soon, Prez. The feds? They'll take the computers, I'll get disconnected. You've got to make a call on this." He looked at Chibs with a wide eyed, hopeless smile. "What do you want to do about Galen?"

Chibs pinched his lip and dragged on it for a moment, he didn't want to answer that. If it was up to him, he'd stab that fucker right in the heart with a shank and watch him bleed out on the floor, it was the least he deserved for everything he had put them through too many times. Right now, Chibs was sick of playing at 'client relations' with the guy, he wanted him dead. "I think we have to be sensible," he said, annoyed at himself for having to take that line. "I don't want to, believe me. But we need to keep him alive, take him back to the Kings, let them put an end to this shite for once and for all." His eyes connected with Juice's for a moment and Juice swallowed.

"What about Tig?"

Chibs rolled his neck from side to side. "What about him? He's a cunt." Juice swallowed.

"He's her husband," he ventured. He could see the weight of those words on Chibs' shoulders, and he grimaced, bracing himself and waiting for some sort of blow that didn't come. Chibs was just looking sadly at Nina's hand, holding it as he rolled the ring around and around on her finger, wanting to take it away from her more than anything. He wanted to just free her now, but he knew that he couldn't, it wasn't that simple.

"He lives," Chibs said sullenly, sulking a little as he let go of Nina's hand. "He has to, or she'd never forgive me." He laughed at himself as he looked down at his hands. "Fuckin' irony for you, the shite I put her through over nothing." He pinched his nose. "But that stuff with the IRA, it ends. All of it, I'm not having any of them in Belfast. I want my daughters home by the end of the night." He looked at Juice, ladening his shoulders with that responsibility. "So you get everyone ready to ride out this evening. I'll be damned if she wakes up and her girls aren't here to take care of her."

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><p>"Keep driving," Galen dictated as Tara rolled the ambulance to a slow stop. She paused, twisting her neck and listening to the satisfying click of her spine settling back into place as she looked at him.<p>

"I don't know how cars work where you're from? But in America, we need to stop for gas." She glanced in the rearview mirror, trying to connect with Natasha's eye, but the young girl seemed to be in her own, focused little bubble. Damn, Tara could really do with her focus right about now. "It's just this thing that we do."

Galen's nostrils flared at he looked at her, he hated how quick-lipped Tara was and she seemed to refuse to back down to his intimidation. Normally these women were so easy, maybe it was because he'd been bending the ears of Emily and Natasha for years, they knew how to keep in line but this one… He pursed his lips for a moment as he looked ahead towards the gas station a little way up.

"You stay in here. You all do," he added, waving his gun towards the back. Emily sat frozen in the corner, looking at Tig with fearful eyes, terrified that he was going to die right here and it would be all her fault. Realising the two in the back were too stunned to even respond, Galen growled as he settled his eyes on Tara again. "You touch the doors, the horn, anything? You're dead, your old man is dead, your club is dead. It's very simple." He gave Tara a kick in the leg. "Drive."

She winced in pain as she eased the ambulance forward and Galen waited for her to park up before he leaned over to snatch the keys away from her. He hooked them onto his finger and dangled them tantalisingly in front of her, teasing her as they swung from his hand. With a laugh, he swung the door open and jumped down, locking the ambulance cab from the outside and slamming his hand against the side to send a resonating echo through the back which made Natasha whimper gently.

Tara, however, was enraged by the sound and turned in her seat, galloping up quickly as she strode to the back. Grabbing Emily by the shoulders, she shook her furiously, watching as Emily's head lolled back and forth with the movement. "What the hell is wrong with you?" she demanded, enraged. "He's going to kill your family, and you're just enabling him. For what?" She motioned to Tig's motionless body behind her. "For him? For that asshole? I know he's your Dad but Jesus, Em, he's going to get us killed."

Emily's eyes narrowed suddenly as she looked at him. "You're so fucking brainwashed, you all are," she snapped. "That club, it's like a poison. Daddy told me all about it, you'd all do anything for SAMCRO. At least he had an option to get out." She smirked and leaned into Tara. "You're just jealous. He told me, you've always wanted out and Jax would never take it."

Tara was not in the mood for it. Without a second thought, she gave Emily an almighty slap across the face, sending her careering into Natasha who sat up suddenly, confused by what was going on as she cradled her sister in her arms.

"Hey!" Natasha snapped, handling Emily out of Tara's way and standing up to block her defensively. "What the hell, Tara?"

"You know what happens when the Irish come down on the club?" Tara snarled, ignoring Tash and trying to push closer to Emily. "We all get fucked. Jax, Chibs, Happy, Thomas-" She saw Emily's eyes soften as she said it. "They'll kill Thomas, you don't get that, do you? And they'll hurt him, because they can. You don't get it, these people almost blew up the entirety of TM because they were pissed over something small." She tried to grab Emily's hand, desperate to connect with her in some way. "Please, Em, he's going to hurt us all, we don't have time for this."

Emily looked at her numbly and Tara rolled her eyes, frustrated as all hell. In a desperate attempt, she turned around and started to shake Tig, eager to get him awake. Emily scowled at the sight and pushed past Natasha, grabbing Tara fiercely and dragging her away.

"You don't touch him, he's mine!" she growled angrily. The words sat ill with all of them, Emily didn't even mean to say it but it fell out of her mouth loudly and the three women exchanged a somewhat fearful look. Emily clamped her hand over her lips and shook her head, not wanting to remember how often she'd heard Tig plead the same damn word about her mother. "This… you all…"

Before she could manage to clear a sentence, she suddenly dropped to the floor, her eyes rolling up into her head as she fell. Tara shrieked as she saw her collapse but Natasha motioned for her to be calm and waved a syringe she had managed to wrangle from a medical kit during Tara's frantic attempt to wake Tig. She gave Tara a hopeless smile and winked as she wrangled Emily to prop her back up in the corner, adjusting her to look like she was sitting as she had before, just asleep.

"I've got one more," she said, showing the second one in her hand to Tara. "When you're driving, I can do exactly the same to him, we can ditch him and drive back to Cha-"

She barely had time to finish the sentence when Galen suddenly yanked the door back open and barked at Tara to sit again. She started towards the driver's seat but Galen shooed her over, hopping up into it and resettling his gun on his lap in her direction as he started the ambulance.

"I'll drive," he said with a smug smile, looking at her and glancing for a millisecond at Natasha before he started up and pulled straight out of the forecourt back onto the road. Tara swallowed, closing her eyes, there was no way Natasha would be able to tranquillise Galen while he was driving, they'd all be dead in one go. She could see Natasha debating the same thing with herself, but before she could advise her against any sort of rash decision, Tash sprung forward towards the front cab. Before Galen noticed, she had slammed the needle into the side of his neck. Galen felt the prick and the searing pain rushing through him as Natasha hit precisely the wrong vein, and his blood spurted from his jugular onto Tara. She squealed as she reached for the wheel, wrestling it from his hands as Galen slumped unconscious against the door, but too late - the ambulance wheeled wildly off the road and crashed headlong from the highway, careering into the barrier and hurtling uncontrollably into the overgrowth.


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N - Hello team! Sorry for the delay, I'm at peak capacity at work but trying to squeeze in what I can when I can! Hope this keeps you going! S x **

"You'll be okay with her?"

Nero looked at Chibs condescendingly as he slipped Nina's head onto his lap and continued to stroke her with the same obsessive rhythm Chibs had been using. She murmured sleepily as she turned into her father, her eyelashes fluttering for a brief second before she fell back out of consciousness, and Chibs sighed with longing as he watched her. She had been so damn unresponsive to him, maybe it was the movement, or the change of heat, or just the smell.

"What have you given her?" he asked matter-of-factly. Chibs shrugged like a child and shoved his hands in his pockets, swinging his hips forward.

"Codine. Had a bit from our last little outing to Belfast," he said, dragging his toes on the floor. "Just a little, but should shock her system. She's been out for hours, Nero."

"Babygirl's healing," Nero murmured, crunching his stomach as he bent down to kiss Nina's forehead. "She'll be up by the time you get back." Chibs nodded and turned to leave when Nero called out to him. "Where are the girls? They should be here."

Chibs swallowed. He hadn't wanted to lie to Nero about Galen having both Natasha and Emily but the last thing he needed was Nero Padilla gun-slinging his away across town to find his granddaughters. "Beach day," he murmured absently. "I've left them messages, they'll be home soon, I'm sure."

Skipping out quickly before Nero could get another word in, Chibs rallied the remaining club members around him. He eyed Juice and Bobby, two of his strongest left in the clubhouse, and then turned to Abel, Thomas and Quinn. Quinn gave him a respectful nod and Chibs grimaced, waving his hands at them.

"Not many of us left, boys," he said with a little jest. Juice laughed and looked down at his hands.

"It's not number, it's quality," he chipped in. "Plus we got T.O. and a couple of the Grim Bastards backing us up." He motioned to the screen of his laptop perched on the bar. "They've taken a stop, if we go now, we'll be able to make up some ground."

Chibs nodded, tugging at his beard. "Aye, let's do that. No word from Jax?"

They all sat in a grim silence, looking awkwardly at the floor. Eventually, Bobby muttered, "It'll take time for him to get a burner. Black's pulling us favours, I'm hoping we'll be back by the time he calls." Chibs gave him a sad smile and nodded, he just needed them all back in one place. God, it was all he longed for.

He motioned for them to rally up and they took to their feet. Abel slapped Thomas' back as they strode out towards their bikes, bumping him hard. "First proper ride, brother," he said. Thomas' lip twitched.

"Gotta get my girl, right?"

Chibs swallowed as he overheard his words. He hadn't dared mentioned Emily's insane and erratic behaviour at the hospital to Thomas, he needed to keep the boy calm and in check. He just needed Natasha home, out of Galen's grasp.

The bikes pulled out, ready to go, and Chibs glanced in his mirror to see his guys behind him. Who was he kidding, he was destined to lead these men, there was no doubt about it. He revved his engine to hear a roar in response from the others, and they set out, peeling away from TM as they drove out. The wind licked around him as they raced to the highway, once they were moving, they'd be able to rip through the route. With Charming behind them, a couple of state patrol guys were easy game to outrun.

Juice drew forward, waving for where Chibs should turn off and the club pulled off towards the route. It was a good couple of hours' drive out but at their speed, free of the restrictions of the town, they were able to enjoy the smell of gas and burning rubber as they raced through the heated desert. Chibs glanced back to see Bobby right behind him, Juice in Happy's spot. Thomas had a grin plastered across his face as they travelled at such speed, enjoying the new experience.

"They're not moving," Juice barked across as they started to slow down. "Hospital's possibly cut off the trace."

Chibs gave him a thumbs up as they stopped at the very same gas station Galen and the others had stopped at not all that long before. He watched as Abel got off his Harley, stretching out his legs and trying to shake the pins and needles out of his hand.

"Too much for you, boyo?" he teased, standing and turning. Abel blushed, trying to draw himself up, and Thomas sniggered behind him.

"I'm a Teller, nothing's too much for me," Abel muttered bluntly. Chibs chuckled and rolled his eyes at Bobby, it was such a Jax-like answer it made them both smile.

"You and Juicy here can go and scout then," Chibs smirked, motioning further up the road. "Two miles, up, then come straight back. Any signs of trouble, you call me. Got it?"

Juice was already pulling his sunglasses back on and Abel nodded nervously. He had never been asked to take the lead on anything, and he looked around with a little caution. Thomas gave his back a supportive slap and leaned close.

"You got this."

Watching as the two set off, Chibs stretched, bending his arms back and flexing them as he stared out at the stretch of road. He noticed that they hadn't even made it over the hill before Juice motioned for them to stop, and immediately dismounted his bike. His figure moved to the edge of the road, right above the steep bank down into the valley, and he put one hand to his mouth before immediately reaching for his phone.

"You need to get up here," he said the instant Bobby answered. "Now."

Bobby relayed the message quickly and Chibs led those remaining to catch up. "Jesus fucking Christ." He was off his bike within seconds as he saw the ambulance, nose-first in the dirt, and he immediately clambered over the barrier to slip down the dirt slope towards the vehicle. Chibs could feel his heart in his mouth as he rattled the doors of the thing, trying to open it but finding it locked. "Tash? Em?" He shook the damn handles in an attempt to open it but they didn't budge. Thomas bounced down and skidded around him, edging towards the front cab. He let out a low whistle.

"Prez, you gotta come here," he muttered. Chibs followed him around to see Galen's face smashed against the front windscreen, bloody and broken, his throat impaled on a shred of bloody glass. He crossed himself as he climbed across, reaching through the ragged window frame to reach the door lock.

"Tash?" he demanded anxiously as he heard the doors unlock. Juice was already at the back, pulling the vehicle open, and he groaned as he saw Tig and Emily squashed up against Natasha and Tara. Tara had just about managed to protect her head with her arm, and she moaned as the light flooded into the back of the vehicle.

"Chibs?" His voice roused her. "We're here. We're… we're here." She coughed, blood dripping from her mouth as she did, and Abel climbed in, helping his mother out as quickly as he could. Thomas was the next in, trying to pick up Emily, but her body seemed limp in his arms. He looked at Juice in panic.

"Em, baby?" He tried to nuzzle her as he hoisted her out of the back of the car to the muddy bank. "Emily, please, sweetheart?"

Chibs ignored all of them as he ploughed past them, looking for Natasha. He whimpered as he saw her body pressed up against Tig's, she looked so small beside him. "Tash? Love?" He looped his arms beneath her and held her, pulling her away, and he felt the urge to vomit surging through him. He couldn't hear her breathing, he couldn't even feel her pulse as he fumbled with her wrist. "Natasha, it's me, it's your Da." He could feel his eyes watering. "Can you hear me?"

Before he could even get her out of the car, the eery quiet was suddenly shattered by the sound of guns cocking. Chibs looked up to see Juice and Bobby with their hands up outside of the vehicle, and he started to move forward to discover Abel and Thomas in the same position as a dozen Irishmen surrounding the ambulance. Still cradling his daughter to him, Chibs gazed at their assailants in contempt and only paused when he saw Brendan Roarke standing there, his arms crossed.

"Things are out of hand, Filip," Roarke muttered with a sneer. "I think we need to have a chat."


	30. Chapter 30

**Hi guys,**

**Apologies for the massive delay in posting this, I've been agonising over a few fates (as you'll be able to tell!) but, despite how hard and bloody this chapter is, I've made a hard choice which I think was worth making. Enjoy, I hope you love it and I really would love to know your thoughts on a very tricky chapter!**

**Sara**

**x**

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><p>Chibs nuzzled Natasha gently in his arms as he gave Roarke a beseeching look. Roarke nodded to one of his men and Chibs hesitated as he saw the Irish guy stalk through them, stepping over Emily's semi-conscious body as he went to take Natasha. Chibs' fingers gripped onto his daughter tightly, shaking his head, but Roarke chuckled and waved his hand.<p>

"Don't make it harder than it has to be, Filip."

Chibs looked desperately down at the seventeen year old as he held her, her body limp in his grip. He stammered for an answer and Bobby called out softly. "Let him take her," he instructed, always wise in moments of panic. "She'll be okay, Prez." Roarke smiled at that and patted Bobby's back as he walked past him. Pushing the Irishman aside, Roarke eased Natasha into his own arms, holding her carefully as he extracted her from Chibs' hold. Chibs bit down on his own lips as he tried to stop himself from crying as he watched Roarke take Natasha over to one of their cars and drape across the hood. Her head lolled to the side and Chibs put his palm to his mouth.

"Let me check her pulse," he begged, opening his hands to Roarke but the King shook his head slowly. He watched as two of his guys dragged Galen's dead body out from the wreckage of the ambulance and threw him prostate down on the floor. Roarke sniffed as he looked distastefully at Galen and nudged him with his foot before leaning over and spitting on him. Abel wrinkled his nose at the sight.

"You cleaned up a wee problem I had with that one," he said, waving at Galen. "He'd been involved too long, it's always difficult to get rid of someone you've grown fond of but you know more than most that sometimes that's the best decision." His lip curled into a smile. "That's what you did with that Sheriff, I think?"

The mention of Jarry made Chibs grow cold and he swallowed, looking around at those assembled around him. It had been a small sacrifice, only Happy and Tig ever knew the extent of what they had done. "What do you want, Roarke?"

Roarke rested his hands on his belt as he abandoned Galen's body, kicking a little dirt over his face as he did. "Looks like I have a position opening up in Belfast," he chuckled, nodding towards the corpse. "I'll be asking Mr Trager to return with us, as I'm sure you understand. A nice little promotion for the man, I think he deserves it, don't you?"

Chibs sneered. "You can take that lunatic with my blessing, but the girls stay here."

They both paused as Emily moaned at that, waking from her drowsy state. She rubbed at the spot on her arm where Natasha had tranquillised her absently, and struggled to sit up in Thomas' arms. Thomas tried to encourage her to keep still and quiet, but she pushed him back, staggering to her feet. "Me," she said as she dragged herself up and looked at them wildly. "I want to go back to Belfast."

"Bullshit," Abel snapped. He started to stand but Roarke snatched his gun from his belt and, without so much as a warning, shot Abel squarely in the chest. The young man staggered back and collapsed beneath his own weight, dropping down into Tara as she grabbed him, trying to press her heel to the wound. Chibs swore loudly, reaching for a weapon he couldn't find.

"Too much of that bad language around these young ladies, that's your problem," Roarke muttered. He seemed so cool, so collected, and Chibs shook his head, unable to understand what the hell was going on around them.

"Do you even know that's Jax Teller's boy?" he roared. If Roarke hadn't had a revolver in his hand, Chibs would have barged him down and pummelled him until the old man was dead or he was exhausted, whichever came first. Roarke shrugged.

"He's got two. Maybe the other one'll keep his mouth shut," he ribbed. "Now about Belfast-" He smiled as Emily limped across to him, taking his side, and Chibs stared at her, astounded by her disloyalty to the club. He shook his head slowly.

"Emmy." She didn't answer and he took a step closer. "Emily, please. Your Ma, she needs you home, she needs-"

Emily's nostrils flared at his attempt to connect with her. "She needs what? Me? Daddy?" She shook her head, looking at Chibs accusingly. "I thought you give her everything she needs now, _Prez._ Me, Daddy, we'll go where we're treated with a little more respect, thanks. We don't need this, any of this," she added, her eyes settling on Thomas for a moment before she closed them and stared down at the floor. Thomas started to stand, slowly, but the second he heard another gun cock he paused. The click didn't come from those around him, the only sound from those nearest him were the gentle sobs of his mother as she held Abel's body in her arms.

It took him a moment before he saw Tig on his feet, rocking on the edge of the ambulance step, his pistol hanging in hands with the playfulness of a mad man. Tig jumped down, solidifying his grip on the gun as he found his footing on the dirt, and he grinned maniacally around at those assembled. It only took him a moment to count, ten Irishmen with Roarke, five Sons, four, maybe, his eyes narrowed as he looked at Abel sprawled on the floor and Natasha unconscious on the car. Roarke watched with amusement as he prowled across to investigate. Tig crouched down beside Abel, touching his neck for a pulse and shaking his head, and eased Tara away.

"Let it go, sweetheart," he murmured. "Kid's gone. Take care of Tash, you can still help her."

Tara wailed at the words and Tig straightened, pulling a face at the sound of sadness that echoed from her chest as she got to her feet as instructed. He looked at Roarke for a moment before his eyes connected with Chibs'. It was just for a second, just one tiny little flicker, but Chibs swallowed, suddenly sure that Tig was on the club's side. Roarke smiled.

"Morning, Alex," he smirked. Emily looked like she wanted to run to him, but Roarke held onto her arm carefully. Tig rolled his neck from side to side, pressing his fingers into the pressure point on his shoulder, and he chuckled as he tugged his shirt up to show off the impressive bandage on his chest.

"Feel like I just got up from the world's best nap," he grinned playfully. "I'd say I dodged a bullet, but…" He looked around at the Sons on their knees and shook his head. "Enough of that, brother, let's have a little more respect. We're business partners. Get up," he instructed, looking sharply at Juice and Bobby. Juice swallowed nervously and jumped up, helping Bobby too. Tig nodded approvingly, one hand on his hip, his lower lip jutting out gently. "So what's going on?"

"Just making some plans, to travel back," Roarke nodded. "Making some agreements with your former President here about who's coming."

Tig laughed at that as he looked at Chibs. He crossed to him, slapping him hard across the back as he carefully slipped a pistol into Chibs' hand. Chibs could feel the cold metal in between them and swallowed back all of the hatred he had surging in his stomach for Tig. Tig was trying to get them out. His blue eyes sparkled as he pinched Chibs' scarred cheek playfully before he stepped in front of Roarke and eased the gun out of his hand with a simple, trustworthy smile. Roarke let go, mistakenly lulled into a sense of security by Tig's eery sense of control over the situation. Tig nodded slowly, taking a few steps away, weighing the gun in his hand before he stretched his arm out and shot dead one of the Irishmen.

It took Chibs less than a second to follow suit. Before Roarke could stop them, they had taken out four of the guards and Bobby and Juice, now free to move on their feet, were quick to snatch up weapons from the dead and help clear up the remaining guards standing around. Emily squealed, turning fearfully into Roarke to avoid the sight of the slaughter, and he held onto her with a disgusted sneer on his face as he watched his backup falling away quickly.

Tig let out a long sigh as he gazed around at the bodies strewn around the dusty scene. He smiled a little, nodding, impressed at their efforts, and he chuckled as he looked at Roarke. "I prefer travelling light, you know that." Roarke opened his mouth to object, but Tig shook his head, silencing him instantly. Dropping one arm around Emily, he led her safely away and shoved her towards Juice to protect before he squared up to the last Irishman standing. "I think I'll respectfully decline your invite, Brendan," he muttered as he stepped closer, his eyes narrowing. "I got family here, you see, my club. I'm done with running your shit. I…" He glanced at Chibs for a moment. "I got stuff to sort out here in Charming."

Chibs nodded slowly, understanding. Christ, maybe Tig's near-death experience had knocked some fucking sense into him. Roarke grumbled as he looked at the mess around them and shook his head. "You think this is funny? You'll pay for this."

Just when Tig had been about to relax, even let Roarke walk away, he shook his head as he turned Roarke's gun on its owner. He pushed it to Roarke's temple and smiled grimly. "You don't get to tell me shit no more." Without a thought, even as he held Emily in his arm, he pulled the trigger and watched as Roarke fell to the floor. Chibs put his hands to his head, looking around at the devastation.

"Jesus fucking Christ." He shook his head in disgust, what the hell had even happened? He watched as Tig tucked the gun in his pants and held his hands up in peace. He nodded assuringly at Bobby, he was back, and Bobby barraged into him, giving him an almighty hug.

"What a fuckin' freak show, huh?" Tig grinned as Chibs finally allowed himself a relieved laugh and patted his back. "We good, Prez?"

Chibs nodded, slowly at first but then sure. He glanced at Tara to see that she was tending to Natasha, stroking his daughter's hair comfortingly and murmuring gently to her. His eyes turned to Emily next, who stood numbly beside Juice, staring at the dead men around her. Men who had been her friends in Belfast, men she had grown up with. Her heart was cold as she stared at them, they were all gone, and for what? She stammered to try and find her voice.

"But we'll go back to Ireland, right Daddy?" she asked. Her voice came out meekly and Tig turned to look at her. He shook his head as he crossed to her, holding her arms in his hands as he tried to engage her but her eyes seemed glazed, like she was in some sort of trance.

"No, baby, we're done. We're just going to stay here, home, SAMCRO. It's all done."

Emily shook her head. "But, but we work with the Irish. That's what we do. It's… it's for the cause."

Chibs growled at that. "That cause bullshite's not worth a dime, Emmy." Emily ignored him, looking pleadingly at Tig.

"We're going back." When she saw the stubborn look in his eyes, she started to shake her head, rubbing her hand down her arm fearfully. "Then… then I'm going to go back. I'll tell them what they did, what the club did. That they've got you, that they won't let you go. We'll get you back to Belfast, Mom too, and we'll all be together, we'll be happy again."

Tig laughed at himself darkly. Christ, he hadn't even thought of Nina until Emily had mentioned her. "We can be happy here, baby, all of us, we just need to sort a few arrangements out. It's fine, the Irish, we don't owe them anything, any of them."

Emily stumbled back, away from him, and she whinnied as she stumbled over Galen's corpse. She fell to her knees, looking at his bloody face staring back at her and she got to her feet again quickly. Galen had been an uncle to her for over a decade, and he was dead, because of them. "No. No. I'm going back. I'm going home. I'm not one of these people, they're not my family. I don't need to protect them."

"Emily." Tig's voice was firm now. "This _club's_ your family, our family, it's all we've got. You walk away from us, there's nothing left."

Emily was shaking as she picked herself up, her fierce blue eyes sparkling as she stared at him, hate in her expression. "They've brainwashed you," she spat, her nose turned up at him in disgust. "And I feel sorry for you if you're going to defend these people. I'll go back to the Uncle Declan, Uncle Peter. They'll come back here, and they'll kill them. They'll kill all of you." She looked around at them, avoiding Thomas' eye, not wanting to break her focus. "Is that what you want?" He didn't answer, and she shook her head. "You deserve it. You all do. You're all liars and murders, and you deserve everything you get. I've still got some loyalty in my heart."

Tig laughed a little at her, entirely the wrong response. Emily's fists tightened and she thumped him hard in the chest, right against his bullet wound, as she turned on her heel and started to run. Juice's eyes grew wide as he looked at Tig for an instruction, and Chibs lowered his voice as he muttered,

"You think she'd really turn us in?"

Tig could feel his eyes tearing in an instant and he nodded slowly. "Yeah, she would. She's stubborn, like her Mom." He swallowed, closing his eyes for a moment, and then reached for the gun from his belt and took the shot. He knew what he was doing, it was flawless. All any of them heard was the gunshot and a whimper as Emily fell with a thud to the ground. Tig moaned softly as he fell to his knees, tossing the gun away as he collapsed down in a mixture of pain and mental breakdown, and he began to cry, brought back to his life in the club in the hardest way he could ever have imagined.


	31. Chapter 31

**A/N - Managed to write another one today, it's brewing in my head since last night! So glad you enjoyed it, it was a heartbreaker to write but this one's even worse... so enjoy! :)**

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><p>The ride back was silent, almost completely if it hadn't been for the steady roar of the Harleys in a grim procession back to the clubhouse. Thomas reached across, keeping one hand steadily on the wheel of the Irish van as the other clutched onto Tara as she stared out of the window, distracted. He sighed as his thumb stroked across his father's rings on her hand and tried to keep his focus on the road ahead, watching as Tig drove his bike back in place with the others, leading them home. <em>Home.<em> He laughed at himself. How was this ever meant to be a home? Home was meant to be safe, happy. Emily had made him feel safe and happy but she had just… lost it.

The lot was quiet when they drew in. He stopped the van slowly, not wanting to jolt any of those laying in rest at the back. These were their war-wounded, two dead and one all but. Christ alive, was this what life in the club had planned for him too? Thomas didn't want to get out, his fingers flexed on the wheel for a moment as he stared blankly ahead of them. It wasn't until Chibs and Tig came around to the side and knocked on the window that he even realised they were back.

"Nobody says a word to her," Tig said coldly as the Sons came together at the side of the van. He eyed Chibs, almost challenging him, but Chibs shook his head and nodded, patting Tig's arm.

"Understood, brother," he replied. He moved to help unload, motioning for a prospect to go and shut the main gates and block their own private world from view. Climbing up, he picked up Natasha and carried her in a fireman's lift into the clubhouse. Chucky looked at him in surprise but quickly hurried to push the doors of the chapel open for Chibs to lay her down, but Chibs shook his head and placed her on the pool table before motioning behind him as Juice and Tig brought in Abel's limp form.

"Jesus Christ," Chucky whispered as they moved through, biting nervously at the end of one of his wooden fingers. "What-"

"Best not to ask, Chucky," Chibs sighed, patting his shoulder. He watched as Tig lay the body down, stopping for just a moment to pat Abel's shoulder in respect, before he came out and looked around the club. Chibs knew what he was looking for, who, there was only one person. He swallowed, knowing what he had to do, and motioned to the apartment. "She'll be in there."

Tig gave Chibs a broken sort of smile as he nodded, a tear clinging to the lower lid of his eye as he passed him and knocked gently on the door. For the first time in his life, he waited to be called in, the nerves and fear flooring him. Knowing what he had done, to Emily, to Nina, it was overpowering. So when he heard her voice, soft, awake, bidding him to come in, he nearly felt himself collapse as he leaned his weight on the door handle. Summoning whatever strength he had, he held himself tall and pushed through.

"Hey."

It was such a small word but it held so much in it. Nina's lips twitched, uncertain if she should smile to see him or not. Nero stood instantly, moving to block Tig's entry, but Nina shook her head, looking resolute. "Don't, Daddy." She struggled to sit up, holding her hand to her torso, and Tig whimpered as he saw the sight of her, bruised, exhausted and already unspeakably sad. He didn't want to be the one to give her more bad news, but he knew he had no choice. "I'm glad you're here. We need to talk."

She hadn't been awake for long but her first thought on coming to had been the overwhelming need to end it. This, them, she wasn't going to do it any more. Whatever Tig's consequences, she would take them, she needed her freedom more than anything else and she refused to live in that fear again. She watched as Tig opened his mouth to speak and then stopped himself before looking at Nero, begging him to leave. He couldn't bear to see it twice, the pain and the misery that he knew would shoot through both of them. Nina would be hard enough.

"Yeah, we do." He rubbed his hand across the back of his head and glanced at Nero again, willing him away. "Can we talk in private?"

"I'm not leaving you alone with her, mano," Nero said sharply but Nina shook her head, waving him down.

"Daddy, it's okay. It's okay," she reiterated, resigned. "Please. I'll be fine."

Nero raised an eyebrow but pressed a kiss on her forehead before squaring up to Tig and jabbing a hard finger into his shoulder, right near where he was already wounded. He watched as Tig groaned in pain and smirked as he muttered, "It'll hurt a lot more if you even think about touching her, comprende?"

Tig waited for the door to shut before he turned his gaze back to Nina. She forced a smile and motioned for him to come closer, patting the bed beside her. She needed to hold his hand, she needed to try and connect with him, make him understand her decision. She knew Tig was stubborn, he always had been, they both were. It was probably part of the weird magnetism they shared for each other in their private, happy moments. Not that they had enjoyed one of those in too long.

As her fingers interlaced with his, she could see him shivering, holding something in his chest. The sadness in his eyes confused her, it wasn't regret like she might have expected, but something greater, darker. Hesitantly, she reached up, her hand stroking his cheek and tousling his hair tenderly.

"Tig-"

"Me first." He closed his eyes, he couldn't wait, it wasn't fair to wait. Nina nodded, unsure of his urgency, and rested her hand on his lightly. Tig was silent for a moment as he mustered what he could from within him. Eventually, Nina caressed his thumb with her own, trying to encourage him to speak and he felt his whole body heave as he tried to find the words. "Do you know? What happened?"

Nina ventured a smile. "Daddy said I was thrown out of the back of an ambulance," she said, trying to ease the tension hanging heavy in the room between them. "I'm not sure how I got in there, mind. Last thing I remember is…" She wrinkled her nose, lifting the edge of her shirt to show him the bandage around her torso. Tig whimpered as he saw it, mortified that he could ever have done that to her, and she dragged her fingertips along her arm. "This one, I don't even know."

Tig shook his head, he didn't either but he led her arm gently to his lips and kissed the bandages anyway, nuzzling them with his nose with the most beautiful intimacy. Nina felt herself swallow, her resolve weakening with every gentle little gesture.

"Nina… The Irish. They've been in town, shit with the club since I… since I…" He paused, he didn't want to admit what he had done to her. Nina clearly knew what he meant, she nodded and touched her palm to his chest where he was still so sore, her hand ghosting over him. "Christ, Nina, they-" He could feel himself breaking down, his whole body convulsing as he let out a painful sob and collapsed forward into her. Nina murmured on the impact but found herself winding her arms around him, trying to support him as she hushed him gently, unsure of what was happening.

"Alex, sweetheart." Her lips brushed his skin as she said his name and Tig clutched onto her, just needing to feel her as he closed his eyes and allowed himself to cry.

"There was a shoot out. Roarke, the Irish. Abel was killed," he managed, pausing to gage her sadness. He could see her lower lip twitching as her eyes began to well and he could no longer conceal the horrible truth that he was holding. "And… and Emily was shot."

He could see the words sinking into her as she tried to put together what he was saying. She suddenly pulled back from him, taking a deep breath and holding her hand to her chest. She reached for his face, tilting his head to look at her, and stammered as she tried to ask the question that they both knew was coming. "Where is she, Alex? Is she okay?" When he didn't answer immediately, she started to get up but Tig urged her down again, holding her with both control and care as he shook his head slowly, his face telling her every answer she needed to know. Nina whimpered, soft at first and then a haunting moan as she stared at him. Tig tried to find some sort of expression to connect with her, but a smile couldn't do it and a simple shake of his head just wasn't enough.

Her fist suddenly balled and slammed hard into his chest, fierce and broken and distraught all in one. Her frantic movement wasn't enough, she hit him again and again and Tig took every single blow as she showered them on him, broken. He deserved it, he deserved the pain that shot through him every time her hands connected with him, the jolts that ran through him and hurt him, _hurt _him in a way he had never felt before. This was his fault, this was his decision, but he had no no choice. If Emily had gone back to Belfast, they would all be dead, he had no doubt of that.

"But she's our little girl," Nina wailed as she suddenly collapsed into him, exhausted by her outrage. Tig could feel her whole body shaking against him, and it was his turn to try and hold her, comfort her. He stroked her hair gently, trying to find a way to relax her, but there was nothing he could do but allow her to cry, just as he had felt the same need. Feeling her in his arms, mourning, broken, the urge to do anything and everything she needed him to became overpowering and Tig started to rock her as he kissed her head, trying to keep her calm. He could feel her breaking down, and it was because of him. It was all because of him.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, pressing his lips to her temple and closing his eyes as the rhythm of his movements seemed to pacify her sobs, lulling her into a sense of security in his arms. "I'm so sorry."

Nina drew herself up, looking him in the eye. "Roarke? Where is he? I'll kill him, I'll fucking-"

"It's done," he said, soothing her again. "I've dealt with that, with him. You don't need to worry." He urged her back into his arms, missing the connection to her already as he encouraged her to settle against him again. "I'll never let anybody hurt this family again, I swear."


	32. Chapter 32

**A/N - Don't, I know I totally suck at being so long between updates, but hope this will keep you going for now! Might need some shout outs for Nina and what she should do...! Enjoy x**

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><p>The clubhouse was filled with an unusual and uncomfortable silence. With two bodies laying in the chapel and an exhausted Natasha on the pool table, there end of the Irish relationship wasn't exactly something that could be celebrated. Nina sat dutifully next to Natasha, stroking her hair softly and pausing every few minutes just to watch her breathing, make sure she was okay. Chibs watched from a distance, his instinct to hold the woman he loved and their daughter forced aside by the way Tig prowled around the bar, his eyes not leaving them for a second.<p>

Bobby nudged Chibs gently, breaking his gaze, and Chibs cleared his throat as he turned. Bobby tried to smile as he pressed a burner into Chibs' hand and glanced towards chapel. "You need to get a message to Jax."

Chibs rubbed his lips with his index finger for a moment. He looked at Tara as she sat on the couch, staring blankly at the floor, while Thomas comforted her, trying to do anything but dwell on his losses. He was sure that, the second he thought about it, he would lose his goddamn mind, so right now, he had to just focus on being there for her. Chibs motioned towards her.

"She should go in," he said quietly. "They'll let her see him. A call's not going to cut it, Elvis."

Bobby already kind of knew it was what he'd say. He nodded, watching as Chibs put the phone on the bar, and he patted his shoulder, massaging it gently. "I'll talk to her. You, uh…" He paused as Tig stalked past and lowered his voice. "We should get Tash to a doctor."

"She's fine," Nina called out, her ears pricking up at her daughter's name despite Bobby's whisper. "She needs rest, that's all." She ventured a look up and felt her chest aching as Chibs looked at her. Their eyes connecting felt crushing on her head and she looked down at her hands, miserably caught up in her own fate. This wasn't fair, none of it was fair. Tig let out a low growl as he saw Chibs' eyes on his wife and he moved possessively between them, putting his arms around Nina.

"Let me take you home, baby," he muttered quietly. "Get you out of here. Out of this," he said, tugging on her battered-looking T-shirt. Nina mistook his gesture and slapped his hand away, pushing him back from her.

"Is that all you can think about?" she snapped, frustrated. She slipped off the pool table and strode away from him, wanting to put as much distance between them as she could. Her whole mind was aching, she didn't need this. Tig groaned as he watched her ghost back into church, pushing the door shut behind her, just wanting to be alone with Emily again. He started after her but Chibs gritted his teeth and rested a hand on him to stop him.

"I'll talk to her." The tone in his voice wasn't one for negotiation, Tig could hear it, and he frowned but nodded as Chibs walked past him. He stopped for a moment outside the door, knocking just once before he pushed it open and slipped inside the room.

Nina was sitting in his chair, her arms resting on the chair's, her eyes fixed on the bloody, stained expression of her daughter. Chibs could see tears in her eyes, held, unable to fall. She hadn't even noticed him enter until he settled on his knees beside her and rested his chin on her hand, looking up at her with a hopeless expression. It took her a moment to acknowledge him before she took a long breath and let it out slowly.

"We fucked it up so badly," she whispered, not wanting to be heard. "All of it, Filip. What we did… it caused all this."

He didn't know how to answer that. Their messy, mistaken affair had led them here, and he hated that thought. "It's on me, not you," he said, trying to exonerate her from the blame. "Don't, Nina, you didn't do this to them." He could see her focus on Emily. "To her. It's not your fault."

"No." She swallowed as she turned her head to look at him. "It's Rourke's. Tig told me." He could see her lips trembling with the words, and she gazed at her daughter again now. "Tell me what happened, Filip. Tell me what they did to her." She could feel herself letting go of the tears now, unable to hold them any longer. "He shot her in the back of the goddamn head, Filip, tell me everything that happened, please."

Chibs stammered for a moment, unsure of what he should say. He was never going to tell her what Tig had done, the choice he had made for the club. Instead, he entwined his fingers with hers gently. "Rourke, he… he told her she should go. We thought she would be okay." He closed his eyes, unable to look at her as he lied. "But he just turned on her."

Nina ran her fingers along Emily's forehead and temples, whimpering softly as she did. She looked at Chibs but saw that he was staring down at the floor. "Was she scared?" Chibs didn't answer and Nina turned to him, taking his hands in her own as she tried to connect with her daughter. "Please, tell me. Was she crying?" Just saying it made Chibs bite down on his lips. He didn't want to keep up this story, it didn't seem right, he didn't want to be dishonest, however much Tig had insisted it was the only way. When he didn't answer, Nina gripped his face, her fingertips digging into his cheeks. "Chibs, please. Was she upset?"

Feeling her hands on him made Chibs whine softly. He leaned his head into her, his heart beating faster as she held him. "Nina, I…" He was so overwhelmed by the desire to protect her that he faltered for a moment. She should know, she should know the truth of what had happened but he didn't dare. "She didn't know what happened, she had been walking away from us all. She didn't expect it, it didn't… it didn't hurt her, she didn't even know what had happened. All she knew was that her family loved her. That you, and Tig… you both loved her."

He could feel her melting, all her strength leaving her as she collapsed into his arms. Chibs held onto her, supporting her weight, closing his eyes as he buried his face in her. He held her, humming softly to comfort her as he cradled her in his grip, unable to see Tig standing with the door ajar, watching them. Nina barely responded, she wanted to but everything within her seemed to have stopped functioning. When Chibs moved to nuzzle her, she pushed him back.

"No, not again," she said, shaking her head slowly. "We've already lost too many people being selfish, Filip, I'm sorry." She stroked his cheek, just catching sight of Tig as he disappeared again. "It can't happen again."

Rat tilted his chin up as he saw one of the Biz Lats making a beeline towards him in the yard. He motioned to Happy to keep an eye on him as he stood and slipped across to join the other guy, under the watchful gaze of a couple of the paid-for black protection. He shifted his line of sight around quickly as he shoved his hands in his pocket and rocked his hips forward expectantly.

"You got news?" he asked. The Biz Lat wrinkled his nose and looked over at Jax, nodding towards him.

"Nothing good, man. Got word from Nero, shit went down for your crew. He wanted you to get word to Teller." The guy pointed over towards Jax and raised a cautious eyebrow as he saw Happy pull himself up, holding himself ready to go. Rat looked terrified by the words but tried to hold it together.

"What happened?"

It was impossible to hide the changing expressions on his face. Jax wasn't watching, but Happy sure was, and as Rat thanks the Biz Lat for his intel, Happy was already on his feet, making his way across to meet him. His huge body dwarfed Rat as he looked down at him, imposing. "What?" he demanded, his eyebrows furrowing. "Cops want to bury us?" He, for the briefest of moments, felt himself pout, frustrated that he might have to leave Natasha outside on her own. "How long?"

Rat was numb as he crossed back to the table they had commandeered and looked at Jax for a careful moment. "There was a shoot out." His voice was low but Jax's ears pricked up and he leaned closer, wanting to hear the details. He rubbed his hands together.

"Let me guess, Tig?" Before Rat could interject, Jax laughed a little. "Just like that idiot to get caught in crossfire-"

"Abel," Rat managed to splutter awkwardly. "The Irish, they shot Abel. And… and Emily."

The second name was wasted on Jax, his whole world had suddenly stopped on hearing the first one. He pressed the heel of his palm to his chest tightly, unable to fully parse what he was hearing. Everything around him suddenly slowed, spinning around him like he had no sort of control, and suddenly he felt his insides tighten, forcing vomit out of his stomach and through his mouth to the floor as he hunched over. Happy frowned as it splattered on his legs and rubbed Jax's back.

"Shit, brother-"

He didn't get to finish, Jax suddenly roared as he knocked Happy away from him. His abrupt explosion caught the attention of the guards and there was the sudden sound of the alarm across the yard, forcing the prisoners down onto their knees, hands on their heads. Jax didn't move, the sweat beading on his forehead from his sudden fever glistening in the sunlight, and he waited for the guards to forcibly take him inside, dragging him away from the others.

"I need to make a call," he demanded as he was thrust back into the darkness from the outside sunshine. "I have to call my wife, my son is-" He could feel his chest tightening, no, it had to be a mistake. Abel had to be fine, no way could something so bad have happened in the twenty-four hours he'd been inside. "Please, I need, I need my…"

He didn't manage to finish his sentence. His legs gave way beneath him and he collapsed, his full weight dropping to the floor as the guard escorting him lost control. The sounds of barked orders and panic were the last things Jax heard as he felt himself pass out in the stone halls of Stockton.


End file.
